In A Shattered Sky
by StarryKirby
Summary: It may be close to the heavens, but that doesn't mean it's heaven. When Pit's parents are both killed, he's sent to live with relatives he never knew existed - and for reasons unknown, they hate him. But when a stranger shows up...rated M for abuse
1. Night of Tears

_Light and dark. Good and evil. Black and white. All worlds contain some measure of both. One cannot exist without the other. Whether such ideals take the form of physical or psychological entities depends on the realm, but ultimately both will intertwine and corrupt the other in some small way._

_The goddess Palutena ruled over Sky World and the Overworld, bringing prosperity to the people - both angels and walkers alike. The goddess Medusa of the Underworld raised demons and brought destruction to the other lands within the realm. From the beginning these two goddesses competed against each other for control of Angel Land with battles that Palutena seemed to win. However, Medusa was simply buying time to create a plan that would destroy Palutena and those that followed her once and for all.  
_

_That plan was set into motion 2000 years ago. Neither side will give in. __The war still goes on._

_Light has started to entwine with darkness and now some demons are turning against Medusa. Darkness has begun to corrupt light, and the angels of Sky World are no longer the pure forms they once were. Some may see this as the end of the world...they would be wrong.  
_

_Without darkness, there can be no light. Without hate, there can be no love. They are mirror opposites; two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. They need each other to exist, and together they are stronger than either one alone. One angel will combine both dark and light in order to bring peace to his realm. Yet it is the path to his victory that shows his true strength and why balance is needed in the world.  
_

_This is where our story begins...  
_

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_

"Lady Palutena, we have no time. Medusa is rallying her troops and will be ready to attack soon. Two of the greatest generals in the history of Sky World are now dead and our army is struggling to keep morale up. You have to do something with the boy now!"

Palutena sighed wearily, leaning back in her throne. She looked at the centurion who had just come in from the battlefield to deliver the grave news. His red tunic was ripped at the shoulder and coated with ashes. The latest battle between the goddess of light and the ruler of the Underworld had been devastating for both sides, but this time the losses that occurred were more personal to Palutena. The goddess knew that the lieutenant was right and a decision needed to be made, but how could she abandon the little angel just like that? The child of two of her most skilled warriors and good friends was now an orphan at the tender age of eleven. She had known the boy from the day he was born. He was such a sweet little thing, the perfect definition of an angel in her eyes. But she didn't have the time to take care of him and simply couldn't leave him all alone in the palace with no guidance…if Medusa came here, which she likely would, he would get hurt. It was for the best to send him away.

"My Lady," another ash-coated centurion spoke while brushing back her blonde hair, "He has blood relatives. Let them take care of the child."

Palutena shook her head, "I'm not sure about this, Emily. You know that the family has a reputation of –"

"My Lady, he will be much safer with the Greystones. Besides, how could they deny their own blood? I'm sure Tavor will accept his nephew in as family."

"Oh, of course…because the only thing the Greystones care about are each other. And even then they fight amongst themselves," Palutena muttered to herself.

Emily's wings fluttered slightly with impatience, "You know he has no other relatives! All of them on his mother's side are dead. This is all he has. Either he goes to them or to an orphanage."

Palutena winced inwardly, wondering if an orphanage was the better idea. They were rather full these days after so many years of fighting and she knew that the children there may not get all of the attention they sorely needed. The goddess knew the story behind the child's father's life…why he left the Greystones, took his wife's last name and broke off all ties with them. Now here she was, sending his child to those monsters.

If Sora and Lucian knew what she was doing to their child…oh, how they would hate her.

"_But it's for the best," _Palutena told herself as she walked down the hallway with Emily to where the child was currently staying, _"He's such a dear thing that nobody could hate him."_

She lightly knocked on the door, and in a moment a somewhat plump maid answered, "Gracious, my Goddess -I didn't expect you so soon!" She hastily curtsied and her wings fluttered slightly, "Come right on in."

The maid, who was dressed in a clean white chiton with a pale blue border lead the way into the room. She moved beside a short stool in the center of the room. Sitting on it was a youth with mussed brown hair, wearing a plain black t-shirt and jeans. His brilliant white wings seemed bright against his dark clothing. On his feet there were brown sandals.

Time had passed since she had helped create this world, and now many angels were switching from the 'old fashioned' clothing to newer designs by other worlds. Many elders still wore chitons and togas, but children and young adults found it easier to move around in pants and sweaters. Palutena didn't care either way, although she still wore what she always had before - the same 'old fashioned' tunics, chitons and dresses. She could still recall Lucian teasing her about being 'such an old lady'. He was more interested in newer designs and clearly his son felt the same way. Amazing, the things you missed.

The poor young angel had his face in his hands, and his shoulders shook with sobs. A normal reaction for anyone who had just been told his parents were dead. His wings were wrapped around his body, hiding most of himself from view. Once in awhile the lights above flickered, showing the brilliant golden sparkles hidden within his wings.

When Palutena first heard the child's name, she was confused by it. She had heard plenty of weird names in her lifetime, but this one was certainly an odd. At least, Palutena felt that way until Sora explained the name meant, 'yellow or gold', not 'a hole'.

"Hello, Pit…how are you doing?" The goddess bent down on one knee to get closer to the little angel's level, "Are you alright?"

Pit looked up at the goddess. His young face streaked with tears and his eyes were red from crying. "How can I be alright?" he whispered, "My parents are dead. Medusa killed my mom and dad in one blow." He began to cry again.

"Oh, Pit," Palutena whispered back, and she drew him into a hug. While Palutena loved all of the little cherubs in Angel Land, there was a special place in her heart for Pit. Whenever his parents were sent off to fight or were on a special mission, Pit wasn't taken care of by a babysitter – Palutena and the workers in her palace looked after him. She had watched him grow up from being a little baby to almost a young man. And now she was probably going to lose him.

"What's going to happen to me now, Lady Palutena?" Pit whispered.

Palutena stood up for a moment and motioned for the two other women in the room to leave before kneeling again. The maid listened right away, but Emily's eyes narrowed first before departing. Emily had always been jealous of Sora's position in the army considering the living centurion was much older than her dead counterpart, but Emily simply did not have the rallying skills that Sora did. Of course somebody needed to take Sora's and Lucian's old places, a decision Palutena wasn't keen on making.

"I'm sorry, Pit, but you cannot stay here…I'm sending you away."

"Goddess…you cannot do that!" His shaking arms grabbed the sleeve of Palutena's dress, "Please, let me stay with you! I don't want to go with a stranger!" His pleas made Palutena's heart almost break, but she had no choice.

"You're not going to live with a stranger…you're going to live with your uncle."

Pit gave Palutena a strange look and let go of her arm, "But…my parents said I had no relatives left. Grandma and Grandpa are dead."

"_They told you that for a good reason," _Palutena thought to herself. Outloud she said, "Pit, you do have relatives alive – just not on your mum's side. Your dad's older brother Tavor is willing to take you in. He'll treat you like family."

Pit was quiet for a moment, and then he whispered, "How many other relatives do I have otherwise?"

"There's your aunt Kara, who is Tavor's wife, and their son, Boris – I believe he's twelve. Lacey is your father's older sister, the middle child of the family, who currently is traveling abroad. Your grandmother is no longer alive, but your grandfather, Madigan, is retired and living outside of Rain City. And there are plenty more great-uncles and great-aunts and cousins twice removed and whatnot. You actually have quite a big family."

The young angel shook his head in disbelief, "Why didn't my parents tell me this? I always thought it was just me and them!"

The goddess settled for the simplest answer, "Your father had some...disputes with them in the past. He took your mother's last name in order to split all ties with them."

"Oh…so what is their last name?"

"Greystone."

"It sounds…dull. Like a gray stone. Hey, that fits!"

Palutena let out a small laugh and hugged Pit closer. Oh, how she was going to miss him!

"But I will be able to keep my own name, right? I like my name."

"Of course," Palutena said, smiling through her tears, "I would never want anybody to change Pit 'Kid' Icarus, the son of two of the best heroes this world has ever known."

_**Just started this new fanfic; I'm not sure if people will like or not, but I shall continue to write. I hope you will enjoy this!**_


	2. A New Home?

_A few days later..._

The car rolled down the streets of Sun City in the middle of the night. Stars twinkled beside the crescent moon. Streetlights cast a soft blue glow over the quiet neighborhoods. The cities of Sky World had been rather unaffected by the war itself, with most of the battles taking place at the gates of the Underworld or across the ravaged Overworld. Most of the houses were dark, although a few were lit up, showing promises of life within the silent city. At least that's what Pit Icarus imagined while he was being taken to his new home.

He had said goodbye to Palutena back at the Sky Palace, all the way back in Sky City. The palace was in a flurry of activity with many wounded being brought inside the palace's healing ward and other exhausted soldiers heading towards the barracks. Few stopped to consider the young angel leaving behind what he had always known and loved. The goddess put on a brave face for her people but Pit had a feeling that she was scared of what was going to happen to him. Pit was too.

Most angels didn't know that Sora and Lucian ever had any children. They had kept Pit a secret, not wanting to attract too much attention to him and have heavy expectations placed on him so young. The two had met as young warriors in training camp, and their competitive natures combined with natural skill led both of them to excel in the army. They had become very close friends despite always attempting to outdo each other and always stayed close together in battle. It was during a rather difficult battle that Lucian had become badly injured, and Sora stayed day and night by his bedside wanting nothing but to see him recover. During his recovery Lucian said that he would only promise to recover if Sora promised to marry him. She agreed, and Lucian healed.

Together they worked harder than ever and quickly rose through the ranks. They excelled to the point where they were two of the ten top generals that led Palutena's army and coached her royal bodyguard. After spending a hundred years at general rank, Sora decided she wanted a child, but it took another fifty for her wish to be granted. Pit was born much to his parents' and Palutena's delight. Both generals had loved training for battle, especially archery, and passed their skills on to their son early in his life.

It didn't take long for the top generals to notice something special about Pit. Pit excelled at archery far beyond others at his age level, and it was clear to everyone that he would surpass his parents in battle with time. His skill at archery quickly earned him the nickname, 'Kid Icarus', as by this time 'Icarus' had become a substitute for 'a great archer'. Sora and Lucian were loved both among the soldiers and the civilians, and when they were able to take a break the three angels lived contently in their quarters within the palace. Everything seemed to be fine...until last night.

Medusa was always attempting to summon and control more powerful demons in her quest to destroy Palutena. This time was the most powerful creature yet - a thirty-story high shadow-hydra, able to shoot fire, lightning and acid from its six mouths. The terrifying creature had practically eliminated all life from a sizable portion of the Overworld, and many of Palutena's army had died fighting the creature. With this knowledge, Pit's parents knew what they were getting into, they knew they had a son at home...and they attacked anyways. Together they had trained, battled, raised a son, and now died while the darkness that created the hydra faded away, gone forever.

It was a major loss for Medusa, for the hydra was the strongest demon she had ever controlled, but it was a great loss for Palutena as well, who had lost her greatest generals. That night Pit had been simply looking out the window of the Sky Palace, wondering when his parents would return so they could be happy again, when a servant came in with the message that his parents would never be coming back. So here he was now, going to meet some family which he never knew existed, in a strange car, in a strange city, crying all the way there.

Pit didn't know why his father had never told him about these relatives. For as long as he could remember, the only extended family he had were his mother's parents, Grandpa Vesper and Grandma Iris. But they had both died a couple of years ago together in a car wreck. He had barely known them. It was weird having wings but not being able to fly. Well, the truth was most angels were so unfit now that their wings were getting dull from lack of exercise, hence the reason for cars. Not much unlike humans on other worlds. With Medusa's evil a constant in the world, not even angels were immune from 'undesirable' traits. The cities in Sky World were built on clouds, and the cars designed so they could float over empty spaces if needed, basically resolving the need for having wings. Pit's parents had made sure he could fly just in case he ever needed a quick escape. It was hard work keeping in the air, but he could fly around for a good half-hour now. Not too bad for an angel these days.

The young angel still could not believe the turn of events. Suddenly he had a huge family! Where the heck did they come from? Pit remembered asking his father about the family only two years ago, but Lucian simply said that his parents were dead and he had no siblings, exactly like his wife. Obviously he had lied to Pit. Why? Pit knew his father must have had a good reason to lie to his only child, but still…

Pit had no more time to dwell on things as the car pulled up in front of a three story house. It was kind of hard to see in the darkness, but Pit could tell that it was painted a light color, had small steps leading up to the front door, and somehow seemed menacing. This house definitely did not seem to be a home.

"Well, here we are, Kid Icarus…ready to go inside?" Two centurions had come with Pit: Emily, who was second-in-command of one of the legions, and Marquis, who had a teasing smile and who was a friend of his late father. He was the one who had spoken and loved using Pit's nickname. Emily, however, was much more serious.

"Let's go," she snapped, getting out of the car. Marquis winked at Pit and got out the driver's side. Pit followed from the backseat.

Marquis unloaded Pit's two suitcases from the trunk and began to carry them to the front door. Emily was already there, ringing the bell impatiently.

After about five minutes of waiting, a woman appeared at the door. She was wearing a ratty pink bathrobe, had brown hair in turquoise curlers, and fuzzy pink slippers on her feet. Pit had to bite his lip in order to keep from laughing at the funny sight, but in his gut Pit had a feeling that something wasn't right.

"What do you want?" The woman half-snapped, half-yawned while leaning against the doorframe. She had this strange voice, almost scratchy, like a stick was rubbing the inside of her throat and she was trying to talk through the pain.

"You're Mrs. Greystone, correct?" Emily asked.

"That's me," the woman sniffed, "And you're the little ankle-biter, aren't you?" This last was addressed to Pit.

"Yes, this is your nephew, Pit Icarus, son of Lucian and Sora Icarus. His parents are dead and he is now in your care," Emily replied before Pit could respond.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…come inside already. I'm tired and need to get up tomorrow. With Boris on summer vacation, there's so much to do. The kid's in grade seven, isn't he?"

Pit replied, "Actually, I'm in grade eight now…I skipped a year."

His aunt mumbled under her breath but Pit still heard, "Smart-ass kid."

Pit stared in shock at his aunt's reaction, but if the two centurions heard they didn't seem to care. Emily pushed against the small of Pit's back and said, "Hurry up now; it's been a long night." Pit was pushed unwillingly into the house.

Everything about this house seemed hard. The floor seemed unnaturally stiff under Pit's sandaled feet, and everything was brightly polished to a shine. The narrow entryway was plain white and had a steep stairway at the end. Next to the stairs was an arch that led to the kitchen. Two doors to the left were shut. An archway to the right led to a living room colored a gaudy pink with everything in starched floral patterns. Even the couch cushions in the living room looked as hard as rocks. The environment fit the last name of the family living in it perfectly.

"Well, here are all of Pit's things," said Marquis, putting the bags down next to a couch in the living room, "If Pit ever needs anything, simply give the Goddess a shout. She really loves this little guy…" Marquis ruffled Pit's hair and smiled at the young angel, "I'm going to miss you, buddy. I promise you I'll come back to visit you after the war is over."

Pit couldn't return the smile. He did not want to be here. Something seemed off, although he couldn't place what. There was simply nothing Pit could do right now except hope for the best. "Okay…bye, Mark," Pit said, and he gave Marquis a hug. Another part of Pit's old life was leaving and he did not know when he'd see it again.

Emily nodded to Marquis as he left the room. She then turned to Pit's aunt and whispered, "So Kara, are we still on for tomorrow?", keeping an eye on the young angel to make sure he didn't hear.

"Of course," Kara yawned, not caring if Pit heard or not, "Time for bed. Get going and we'll speak tomorrow." Emily nodded and left the house.

The front door slammed shut and Pit hurried to the large glass window in the living room just in time to see the car pull away. It wasn't until the headlights fully disappeared before Pit realized this his aunt was still in the room. He gulped, turned around and managed to whisper, "Um…where do I sleep?"

"Sleep there," his aunt said harshly, pointing in the couch, "And don't you even think about going anywhere!"

"I wasn't planning on it..." Pit mumbled to himself as Kara left the room, turning off the light in the process. Once he heard a door somewhere upstairs slam shut, he fell onto his knees. He was drained, both physically and emotionally. It must be at least three in the morning and he hadn't slept for almost twenty-four hours. He should be already asleep, but with his parents dead and since he was now alone with an aunt that did not seem to want him he could think of little else.

Still, there was not much else to do at this hour. The pit in his stomach made any idea of eating impossible. All he could do was try and sleep. Pit sighed and quickly changed his clothes. He pushed his bags to the side of the room and lay down on the narrow couch. Lying on his side and staring at the hideous floral pattern made Pit feel dizzy, so he rolled onto his back and stared at the white stucco ceiling. The feather pillows on the couch were clumped together and hard, made of scratchy threads that made Pit's head itch. A thin blanket lay on the other arm of the couch, and Pit wrapped himself in it before letting the tears flow again. His parents were dead and he stuck in a strange house with strangers. Hopefully, his family here would love him. Hopefully, he would be safe here. Hopefully, he would be okay.

Those thoughts didn't comfort Pit much and he ended up crying himself to sleep. This was one of the last times he'd ever do so; in the months and years that followed this night, he'd soon forget how to cry.

_**I know it doesn't sound too bad for Pit right now, but just wait. For some reason I always make my characters suffer…and Pit isn't going to fare much better than any other story I've written before in my life. R&R, please!**_


	3. Their Plan

"Wake up. I want to watch my show." Pit's eyes fluttered open, and his mind finally forced him awake. A very chubby angel, not much older than Pit, stood in front of him. He had messed brown hair, chubby cheeks and tired brown eyes. His face was covered in freckles and zits; quite a contrast to Pit's smooth skin. But there was no denying the fact that they did look alike; after all, they were related.

"Oh, sorry…" Pit sat up and then moved over so his cousin could sit down. What was his name again? Boris, right…

Boris reached over to a side table and grabbed the remote. He flicked the television on, and immediately the theme music for 'Super Smash Brothers' started up.

"Hey, you watch this show?" Pit asked.

"Duh! A bunch of superheroes beating each other up? Kick ass, man!" Boris turned his attention back to the TV, where Mario and Captain Falcon just began a match.

Pit shook his head back and forth, trying to get rid of the sluggish feeling of just waking up. At least his luggage was still beside the couch; but it did look like someone had searched through them that night. Pit saw a bathroom across the hall from the living room, so he went and changed in there before coming back to speak with his cousin.

Boris was cheering and clapping for the Smashers; another battle had started up, this time containing Yoshi, Pikachu, Fox and Ness. Pit waited until the commercials to ask his cousin, "Uh, where exactly am I supposed to sleep? On the couch?"

"In the cupboards," Boris replied, "Dad says he'll move you there soon enough."

"_Ok, he's just joking around. But I guess it doesn't really matter right now anyways."_ "Well, when's breakfast?"

"Couple of minutes, once mom gets up." Boris snorted, "Why'd you come in so late?"

"I didn't choose the arrival time," Pit snapped back. These relatives were really starting to tick him off.

"Whatever." Boris turned his attention back to the TV, and Pit sat down to watch as well. Once the show was over, Boris turned the television off, "I love those guys. Wouldn't it be so cool to meet them in real life?"

"Yeah…I guess so."

At that moment Kara bustled into the room, now dressed in a low-cut yellow top and jeans. Her hair was tangled, but her makeup was put perfectly in place, "Boris, sweetie, I'm running late…you'll have to make your own breakfast."

"But mom…ugh…" Boris huffed and crossed his arms, "Can't Pit do it?"

Pit was about to reply that he was no servant; besides, he didn't have a clue where anything was in this house, but his aunt replied, "Good idea…Pit, fix breakfast for us, will you?"

"I don't know anything about this house! How am I supposed to do it?" Pit rolled his eyes and leaned against the back of the couch.

Bad move, it seemed, for Kara stomped over and grabbed his arm; twisting and pinching the skin, "Well, then I'll show you!" She pulled Pit off of the couch and dragged him to the end of the hallway. On the left was the kitchen, and she pushed Pit inside, "There you go; now figure it out!" She turned and left the room.

Pit simply looked around the kitchen. He really was stumped on what he was doing. He didn't even know what the family liked, or if they had any ingredients to make an actual breakfast.

He started off by checking all the cupboards and quickly memorizing the general area in which everything was in. In one cupboard he found a box of pancake mix, and Pit dumped that onto the counter. Pancakes seemed easy enough to make.

In no time at all, Pit had the stove going and was cooking. It really wasn't too hard once he had all of the items he needed. Once he piled all of the pancakes on a plate, he moved the pan off of the stove and flipped the burner off. Now, to search for possibly maple syrup…

"Mm…something smells good, Kara!" Pit moved back slightly from where he was kneeling on the counter to see a man walk in. He looked exactly like Boris, except much bigger. He stared in shock to see Pit kneeling on the counter and he gasped, "You're not Kara!"

"Well, yeah…I'm your nephew Pit." Pit slipped off of the counter and walked over to his uncle, "Nice to meet you."

Instead of returning the greeting, Tavor glared at the young angel and snapped, "What the fuck do you think you're doing; eating my food? Who said you could do that?!"

Pit instinctively took a step back in shock, "Your wife told me to make breakfast, so I did. Don't get mad at me!"

"Bloody little angel…" Tavor pushed pit out of the way and moved over to the meal. He sniffed it, "Smells good…" He took one of the plates Pit put beside the stack and placed five pancakes on it. He then turned to Pit, "Where's the syrup?"

"I don't know! I just got here last night!" Pit's uncle muttered something under his breath, and then turned to a small door in the wall. It must have been the pantry, for his uncle reached in a pulled out a bottle of syrup.

"Next time, make sure you have it all set up," Tavor snarled, but then left the room with his breakfast.

Pit leaned against the counter and pondered his uncle's words, _"Is there going to be a next time? He seemed pretty sure of himself when he said that…" _ Pit decided to simply eat and forget about it all for now; he was starving.

Boris came into the kitchen while Pit made up his stack of pancakes, "Why didn't you tell me it was done?"

"Because it wasn't done yet," Pit replied, taking his breakfast and moving so Boris could get at the meal.

"Whatever." Boris took his share and then left the room. Pit followed, and across the hall was a dining room. Tavor was already there, and he nodded when the two boys came in. They ate in silence, although Pit somehow felt that his uncle's eyes were continuously on him.

Kara came bustling into the room, still putting in an earring, "It's eleven already! I must fly! Everyone out now for this afternoon!" She picked up a small book and left again.

Tavor licked his lips, which were now coated with syrup. He stood up, leaving his plate on the table, "Make sure you clean up, Pit." He left the room.

What was he; a live-in servant? Or perhaps whoever made the meal was in charge of cleaning up afterwards. Pit didn't have a chance to ask Boris, because the chubby angel threw his fork against his plate and then scampered from the room.

Pit finished his meal and then picked up the other dirty dishes before taking them to the kitchen. At least there was a dishwasher so he wouldn't have to do it all by hand. After loading the machine, Pit heard the front door slam shut. He moved towards the entryway and then realized that his relatives were gone. They had simply left him all alone in the house.

Pit decided to explore the house; it would be better to get familiar with the place quickly so he wouldn't be confused. The main floor had a hallway running down the center, and off to the sides were the living room, two bathrooms, a dining room and the kitchen. Glass doors in the dining room led to the yard outside with patched grass and dull clouds. There was also a small study with a ton of books and a huge, formal desk. There was also a small door in there, but when Pit tried it, it was locked. Probably a closet or something.

Upstairs were two huge bedrooms; one was the master suite while the other must be Boris' room. Both had their own bathrooms. There were two others rooms; one contained a mountain of cardboard boxes, while the other was a cramped guest room. It didn't look like it had been cleaned in a long while.

It took Pit some time to finally spot the trapdoor that led to the final floor. One push with his wings took him to the ceiling, and he pushed the door open. This attic was actually quite empty; there were a few pieces of old furniture, but little otherwise. Why didn't the Greystones move their junk up here? It wasn't like anybody was sleeping up here…

Pit climbed in and let the trapdoor fall shut behind him. A skylight was the only window in the room, while a single bulb was hung above an old table. There was a dingy old chair that looked like it had once been velvet, and a dirty mattress on the ground. A wardrobe with no legs sat near the other side of the attic, next to what looked like the water heater.

Sounds almost like bird chirps came from that side. Pit moved over to see what was going on; it turned out that a heat duct was right beside the place, and somebody was talking downstairs. Pit bent down and listened closely to the conversation;

"The will has been changed." That was Kara, Pit's aunt speaking, "So this should work out?"

"Of course it will." Emily, the centurion? What was she doing here? "The plan is simple. Pit is unable to inherit his family's fortune until he's eighteen. Meanwhile the money goes to your family, although you are unable to use it – unless Pit decides to give it to you. If he dies, then it is donated – so obviously you can't kill him…"

"_What the – were they planning to kill me?! What's going on here?"_

"How do we convince him to give it to us?"

"He doesn't have a clue about what's going on. Just say you're in a tight spot and ask if you could use some of his money to help out. Then you take the profits and kick him out onto the streets."

"_Yeah right lady; like that's happening! They took me in for money? Assholes…" _

"But won't he tell? If he goes to the goddess, then she'll kill us!"

"I'm Palutena's right hand…I'll be able to stop any of Pit's attempts for seeing the goddess, and I can make sure that this will is made legit. And remember; after this I get half of the fortune."

"It's a deal. Curse those parents of his, abandoning his own family!"

"Hey now, remember what I said…if he leaves of his own will but is alive, the fortune is yours. Try that instead…"

The young angel sat up in shock. So that was it. They really didn't give a damn about him. They wanted some family fortune…but wait a second; what fortune? His parents weren't rich! Well off, yes, but not millionaires! So what were they after?

Pit changed positions so he was sitting cross-legged, and he rested his chin in his hands. If he were to leave this place, then they'd get the money – or whatever it was – that was in some will. But there was no way he was going to give it to them; oh no, not after that conversation. So the only option was to stay until he was eighteen. Seven years of who-knows-what…

Well, at least they weren't going to kill him. Besides; how far would they really go just to get a couple bucks? And there was always Palutena; if they did hurt him, he'd run back to her, and Emily couldn't do a damn thing to stop him!

The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs alerted Pit. There was nowhere to hide in this place…but there was the skylight. Pit quickly flew over there, popped open the window and scrambled outside. He shut the window behind him and looked down just in time to see Aunt Kara climb up. Pit backed off and flew a couple feet into the air. It was best right now to make himself scarce; if she knew he was there, that could spell trouble.

Pit walked around the neighborhood and checked the place out. It seemed pretty dull…the same designs of houses with the same boring colors with the same boring lawns over and over again. At least he memorized the new house number, so he couldn't get that lost. Pit didn't have a watch on, but when he guessed it to be around five in the afternoon he turned around and headed back. Sometime around six, he was back at the same strange house.

The door swung open and Kara was there, dressed up like she was going to a fancy restaurant, "Oh Pit; there you are! I was looking for you!" She ran towards Pit and stopped at the end of the walkway, "Come now; dinner's waiting!" She pinched her nephew's cheek and then hurried back inside. Pit was already on his guard, and he followed her cautiously.

Kara took Pit's arm and pulled to make him move faster. She smiled down at the young angel, but Pit could easily tell that it was fake. She sat him down in one of the dining room chairs and then moved to her husband's side. Boris sat to Pit's left, while his aunt and uncle were right across from him.

The food looked good enough; it was just simple steak with potatoes. Pit eyed if warily, and then glanced up at his relatives. Kara looked nervous, but Tavor nodded at Pit, "Go on now; you must be hungry!" He dug into his meal, along with his son. Kara nibbled a little of her salad, while Pit took only a few cautious bites.

They all ate in silence for a few minutes. Finally, Tavor looked up at his young nephew and smiled, "Pit, I'm sorry for your loss, but our finances are tight in this house. We took you in, because you are my brother's son, but it adds even more of a burden onto us. Your family had quite a bit of money, but rightfully it is yours. Perhaps you wouldn't mind lending us a little?" He smiled even bigger at Pit, and Kara gave another phony smile as well. Boris just looked up, curious.

Pit smiled back at his relatives, "I would, but considering you only want me for money…no thanks. I'll keep that cash for myself."

Tavor's smile faded. "Where did you get that idea?" he growled.

Pit leaned back in his chair, "I heard a very interesting conversation between Kara and Emily today…" Kara went very pale at that, "And it seems you want me for money, but if you kill me off you lose it. Either I have to give it to you or leave of my own will; neither of which shall happen. In fact," Pit continued, standing up, "I think I'll call Palutena right away and tell her of your little plot. I'm leaving here with all of my inheritance. See you."

Pit moved straight to the kitchen; good thing he had memorized where the phone was. He was about to reach for it when something hit him hard on the side of his head.

Pit saw stars and slipped; through the fuzziness he managed to make out his angry uncle standing over him, "What did you just say?!"

"I'm leaving…fuck you." Pit tried to stand again, but a blow to the chest knocked him back down.

"You'll do what I ask of you!" His uncle slammed another fist into his chest and another into Pit's mouth. Blood began to seep from his split lip. Tavor sat down on Pit's chest and kept hitting him again and again; Pit was going to black out soon if this beating didn't stop.

"You hear me?! You know what I want!"

"Fuck you! I won't give you anything!" Tavor stopped hitting his nephew at that. Pit had such a splitting headache that it felt like he had been trampled. Tavor stood up, grabbed a handful of Pit's hair and hauled the poor angel to his feet. He pushed Pit against the kitchen wall, and then grabbed at his shirt. Tavor pulled it over Pit's head and threw it on the floor. He slammed Pit's head into the wall, keeping the young angel so disorientated that he couldn't do a thing.

The older angel used his left hand to hold Pit's head against the wall, and the other to unbuckle his belt. Soon he had the leather strap in his hand, and he brought it down on Pit's back.

Pit grit his teeth together to muffle a scream. He wasn't going to give this bastard the pleasure of seeing him cry. His uncle seemed to sense that, and hit Pit even harder. Still, Pit refused to relent.

After at least thirty slashes his uncle had enough. He threw the belt down on the floor, grabbed Pit and threw him over his shoulder. Pit struggled to break free, and twisted his head to bite his uncle's shoulder when he couldn't get down.

Tavor cursed and slapped Pit hard across his upper thighs. Pit dug his teeth deeper into his uncle's shoulder, and the older angel let out a yell. Pit stopped when someone punched him in the forehead. He let go, and stared in shock to see Kara standing there, holding his shirt, "Get that little rat away from us!"

Someone pulled down a set of stairs, and Tavor carried Pit up to the attic. He threw the young angel up there, and Kara tossed the shirt after. Pit tried to force himself to stand, but Tavor moved over and knocked him back down. He dragged Pit to the mattress and pushed him upon it. He snapped an iron collar onto the young angel, and then chained him to the wall, like a dog.

"Fucking kid. I take you in and this is how you thank me? Well, you'll break soon enough. Have fun, Pit." Tavor laughed and moved back to the trapdoor. He went down and shut it behind him, leaving Pit all alone.

Pit moaned in pain, and tried to settle himself so at least something didn't hurt. Every part of his body ached…and now he was chained up like a slave. He had to get to Palutena. She'd take him away from these freaks once she saw his wounds.

But for now, Pit had to stay here. He was hurt and caught. The moment Pit could get away from here, he would. Right now he'd sleep, and then plan what to do in the morning when his head didn't hurt so much…

Pit shifted slightly over, trying to spread his weight out evenly on his sore back. He wouldn't give in to the demands. He was an army kid. He was tough. Tavor didn't know the match he had met in Pit.


	4. Agree to Disagree

"Morning, Pit. Sleep well?" Pit's eyes slowly opened to see his uncle standing over him.

"Sure did," Pit snapped back, "I knew something was up about this place. Thanks for telling me straight away that you wanted money so I didn't have to wait for months until I discovered it."

"Little wretch." Pit absorbed the hits his uncle gave him, refusing to show that he'd give up at some point.

"So, are you going to give us the money?"

"Go fuck yourself."

The blows he received on top of yesterday had left his body completely sore. Even if he wasn't chained up, he would never been able to get to Palutena, unless he hitchhiked or something.

Tavor eventually left his young nephew alone, and Pit forced himself to sit up so he could check the damage. The mattress he was lying on was already soaked with blood, and his clothes weren't faring any better. He ripped a couple strips of his shirt and used them as improvised bandages for his worst wounds, but otherwise simply lay against the mattress and tried not to cry. Pit had been hurt before while training with his parents; heck, he had even broken his arm once, but that didn't hurt as much as he was hurting now. That was probably because that when it happened, his father had rushed over, inspected the damage and quickly took him to the hospital. Here…he was simply left to fend for himself and hope his wounds wouldn't become infected.

He spent the entire day lying on the mattress, unable to move more than a few feet in any direction because of that stupid chain. Pit had looked to see if he could pick the lock, but the keyhole was at the back of the collar, where he couldn't see what he was doing. Pit knew a number of tricks for breaking free of handcuffs if you didn't have the key, but those wouldn't be practical for a neck collar. It seemed like he was trapped until his uncle let him go.

It was hard to sleep that night, for no one had brought him food or water and Pit's insides were churning with hunger. When morning came around, surely Pit would get something to eat…they weren't going to starve him to death, would they?

The next morning, when Tavor came upstairs again and demanded for Pit to sign so they could collect the money, Pit instead ignored the question and asked, "Do I get something to eat?"

"Not until you sign," Tavor snarled, "So do you agree?"

"I have a few more days before I die of dehydration. I'll wait."

Tavor yelled at Pit, calling him 'a cheap, pathetic fucking excuse for a nephew' and beat the poor angel senseless. When Pit woke up later, however, there was a glass of water by his side. So they were going to keep him alive long enough so they could get what they want.

XXXXXXXXX

The days and then weeks took on a pattern. Every morning Tavor would come upstairs, asking if Pit had changed his mind yet. Pit would say no, Tavor would get angry, and then he would find a place where Pit wasn't too badly marked and then beat it until Pit bled. Around noon Kara would bring him a single glass of water, not even looking at the suffering young angel, and then leave again. Pit carefully planned his water usage, sometimes taking a little to wash his wounds. Even though he desperately wanted to drink the whole thing in one gulp, Pit would make the glass last until morning.

It was hard to judge exactly how many weeks had passed, but not once during that time had Pit received a single scrap of food. He ate and drank so little he never needed to relieve himself, but the hunger pains gnawed at his stomach and he could barely sit up, let alone fight his uncle. Tavor knew this, and teased Pit by showing him plates stacked high with food just out of his reach. Pit refused to let himself smell the meals, even though his stomach snarled in protest.

There was no chance of Pit escaping now. Not with him being so weak.

Every day Pit lost weight, and soon his once brilliant white wings became a dingy gray. His ribs showed through his pale skin and his cheeks were nothing but hollows. How far was he along in his starvation? Two, three, seven weeks? No, not that long; maybe four? That could be right.

It was impossible to say if Pit would get food once he was close to death. The water was barely enough to keep him going from day to day. The simple thought of a bread crust was enough to make Pit's mouth water. He no longer dreamed, for if he let himself, he dreamed of food.

XXXXXXXXX

One night, after weeks of being locked in the attic, Pit was facing the wall and cursing his uncle with ever swear he could possibly think of in his head. There was nothing to do at night; there was nothing to see through the skylight and it was always hard to sleep. Pit took his final sip of water and then rolled back over. A creaking noise made Pit flip over in shock. Nobody ever came to visit him at this hour.

Tavor came up the stairs, holding a plate of food in his hand. Pit thought that the old angel was going to mock him, but then he realized the guy was completely smashed. Tavor hiccupped, took a couple more wobbly steps and finally sat down just a few feet away from Pit. He laughed and took another swig of some liquid in a bottle. He must have been out getting drunk, while Kara and Boris were somewhere else, having a good time and eating –

"_Stop it, Pit. This fucker's drunk. I'll be able to snatch the food, easy."_

"Hey Pit, I have a propo…propi…I has a trade for you!"

"A what?"

"A trade! For this here food," Tavor moved the plate closer. It was stacked high with bread, sausages, peaches and cookies, "You give me something else in return."

"The signature? Fuck no. Now leave."

Tavor laughed, "No, stupid…something else. Something else for this here food." His words were slurred, making it hard to understand.

Pit was so hungry he could barely think straight. What could Tavor possibly want for the meal? He might as well accept; this may be his only chance to eat for weeks, "Ok, you have a deal. But give me the food first."

"Ugh…fine..." He passed the plate over, and Pit quickly sat up and shoved it behind the wardrobe. Tavor was too drunk and wouldn't be able to get the plate.

"There…so what do you want?"

Tavor snickered, "You." He moved over and grabbed Pit's pant leg, trying to pull the garment off of the young angel. Pit tried to keep his clothes on, but he was simply too thin and weak to do anything.

Even when Tavor stripped him naked, Pit quickly backed off and wrapped his malnutrition affected wings around his body. Pit may be young, but he understood what was happening, "Get away from me, you freak! Get the fuck away!"

"But Pit, I thought we had a deal…" Tavor shoved his hand through Pit's legs and began to grope the young angel, "Come on now…you'll feel so good…"

"_How do I make this stop? How do I make this stop?" _"Why are you doing this?"

Tavor laughed, "I do so love looking at pretty young boys. I never thought I'd have a pretty boy like you living here…might as well put you to use."

Was Tavor serious? It was hard to say. The guy could be drunk and babbling nonsense or actually telling the truth. Regardless, right now Pit had to satisfy the guy so he would be left alone, "Tell you what, uncle. You can touch me all you want for the food, but just try to rape me and I'll bite your dick off."

The old angel gave Pit an odd look, but he nodded, "I like that."

Pit shuddered but moved forward and exposed himself. Tavor rubbed his hands all over the young angel, touching him in very private places…but no longer did he attempt to actually have sex with the minor. Pit felt disgusting to his very core, but at least he had stopped his uncle from taking away his innocence.

After about twenty minutes, his uncle yawned, lay down next to the mattress and soon was snoring. Pit moved over, grabbed his plate of food and stayed awake all night, eating and watched Tavor just in case he attempted something else again.

In the morning, Tavor yawned and stretched, and then looked around, confused at his surroundings. He became even more surprised to see his young nephew naked, "What the fuck happened?"

"You were drunk and tried to rape me last night, bitch. For crying out loud, you're a freaking pedophile." Pit's eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep.

"Did I?" Tavor looked around the attic once again, and then his eyes fell on the plate of food. He stared at it for some time, trying to remember what occurred the night before. It seemed that he did, for a grin slowly spread across his face.

"So Pit…are you willing to trade your body off for food?"

"What?" Pit whispered, "You really do like young boys, don't you?"

"None of your concern." Tavor stood up and stretched again, "However…if you let me take a couple of pictures of you naked I might be inclined to give you more to eat."

"That's not good enough," Pit replied. If he was going to have to do something so degrading, he might as well play all of the cards possible, "I want to be set free from this wall and have my wounds tended. No more beatings and no more insults. And there shall be no more talk of that fortune. As well, I will not do anything sexual." Thank the goddess Pit's parents had taught him all of this stuff when he was young.

Tavor glanced down at the angel, considering his options, "I will agree to the first two. As for the others, no promises."

"So what exactly is going on here?"

"Heh…since you won't agree to sign the document for the will there shall be a change here. You shall now work here as a servant of sorts. On top of school work, when that starts up again, you'll have to do the chores around here as well. Cleaning, cooking…whatever we ask. As well, I'd like to take some pictures of you…I have friends that'd like to see you." Tavor looked at Pit with an odd smile on his face, and Pit shuddered under his gaze, "In return, you won't sign the papers and you won't be chained to the wall. You'll only get fed if you've done a good job. You'll be beaten if you do a bad one." Tavor reached deep into his pants pocket and pulled out a small key, "And now that I've seen you like this, there will be no other options. You tell no one of my desires, and I won't fuck you…got it?" He snapped Pit's collar open.

"Sounds cheap to me. What about my belongings?"

"Yeah yeah, you can have those as well…and I'll bring you up a new mattress. This one seems a little messy…"

Tavor reached down and grabbed a handful of Pit's hair. He yanked the young angel to his feet, "Nobody else is around right now. Get downstairs and get dressed. After that, we've got a photo shoot to do." He pushed between Pit's wings and hurried the angel downstairs. While he was passing through the kitchen, Pit glanced at the calendar. It was already the middle of August.

He had been locked away for nearly six weeks.


	5. Meeting the Smashers

Pit had been left alone, so he went to the counter and leaned against it, staring at the calendar in shock. How could it possibly have been six weeks? He took a closer look at the calendar. Wait; somebody had only scratched the extra days off, and then rewrote that it hadn't been that long. So he had been trapped for…two weeks and five days.

At least that made sense, considering if it had been longer he should have been dead.

Those days seemed blurred…some he got more than one glass of water, sometimes his uncle taunted him with food…or were those all dreams? Hard to say.

Pit took another looked at the calendar. On July 23rd, the only day in July without a line through it on the calendar, it said that some sort of battle was going on, but it was hard to read because of the messing writing. Smash…Smash Brothers! That was it; the fighters from Super Smash Brothers were visiting Sky City and Boris must want to go see them.

"Pit, what's taking you so long?" Pit snarled under his breath and went to check out the living room. His two bags had been pushed to the side of the room and been looked through. Pit slipped on a green t-shirt and a pair of jeans, making sure they were loose so they wouldn't rub against his wounds. He slowly started up the stairs again, having to stop every couple of steps to rest.

Once Pit reached the top, Tavor grabbed his wrist and dragged him into the master bedroom. Once he shut the door Pit asked, "So, what's this all about? Are you really a pervert or something?"

"There's nothing wrong with liking young boys…"

"There is if you're fifty and like them in a disturbing way."

"Shut up…" Tavor held a camera up and adjusted it, "You're too thin, Pit."

"Well jeez; I wonder why?"

"You're a smart ass, aren't you?" Tavor tossed the camera onto the bed, "You'll need to gain some weight before I start snapping photos."

"You're really freaking me out here."

"Aren't you hungry, Pit? I thought you were…" Tavor smiled at his young nephew, "Well…?"

"Of course I am. I'm starving."

"Do you remember our deal?"

"I must have forgotten the past few hours. Please refresh my memory."

"I'll give you food in return for some photos and work…sounds fair?"

"No, but then again I don't exactly have a choice here."

Tavor stepped closer to Pit and slapped him, "If you keep up this smart ass attitude you'll get nothing!"

"And so will you. We're both trapped, you know," Pit snarled back, holding his cheek.

Tavor glared at Pit, but eventually he stepped back, "Fine. I'll give you two weeks to recover and then you get to work."

"I guess that's the best I can expect."

Tavor was beginning to pant because he was so angry, "Go to your room!"

"What room? Do you mean the attic?"

"Yes! Get the fuck up there and stay there!" Pit dodged his uncle's next attack and dashed back up into attic.

"Yeesh, what an asshole…" Pit snarled and slumped against the wardrobe. There was no way he was going to lie on that filthy mattress again. Pit was so tired that he soon fell asleep sitting up.

XXXXXXXXX

A few hours later Pit awoke to see that the old mattress had been removed and a clean one put in its place, along with a thin pillow and old blanket. As well, his luggage had been brought upstairs. Well, at least it was a small improvement.

The door to the attic began to open, and Pit's attention turned back to the entrance. He forced himself to stand, so he could be ready to run or fight if needed.

Pit cautiously took a step to the side when his uncle came through the trapdoor. Tavor glared at his nephew, "Relax, Pit. No more beatings for a while…I can't scar your pretty body anymore. Here's your dinner…" Tavor placed a plate piled with food next to the door, as well as a tall glass of milk, "Eat all of it. You're too thin." Tavor slammed the door shut, and Pit heard a lock being snapped together. So, the bastard had locked him in.

"Well, fine," Pit growled, "I'll beat you somehow. I just need a plan…" Pit's stomach growled, reminding him that he needed to eat. Pit sighed and went to eat the meal Tavor had left for him. No more of this 'uncle' crap…he was a monster.

Finally, with his stomach and throat no longer complaining, Pit fell asleep on the mattress.

XXXXXXXXX

The next morning Pit awoke just in time to see Tavor come up to bring him a new meal and take away the old dishes. "Hey Tavor," Pit asked, "Are you going to leave me in here all of the time?"

"Only when I'm not home," Tavor snarled, and then he slammed and locked the trapdoor again. Pit sighed, realizing that it was going to be pretty challenging for him to escape. His wings were now too weak, so he couldn't fly out, and there was nothing in here for him to use to break open the trapdoor.

"Damn it! There's got to be a way…" Pit swallowed another mouthful of toast, "If I could just find out where Tavor keeps his cash, maybe I could get a cabby to drive me all the way to Palutena. I would have to sneak to find out, but if I'm locked in here while Tavor is gone, the only chance I'd have is when he's home…he'd catch me for certain."

Pit thought all day long, and he smiled when the idea finally came into his head late in the afternoon, "Wait a minute…won't Palutena wish to talk to me? And if they didn't let me speak to her, she'd get suspicious…then all I have to do is wait for her to call! Although, that could take some time…but it should be soon. But maybe I can get out sooner…"

It took a few days for Pit to think of another plan, which was really all he could do while trapped in the attic. Every time he tried to talk to Tavor, he only received a few words in reply, so that was basically going nowhere. Pit crossed his fingers that he wasn't too late; by guessing he assumed it was already the twentieth of July.

That night, when Tavor came upstairs to deliver Pit his next meal Pit asked, "How long are you guys going to be in Sky City for?"

Tavor glared at Pit while he grabbed the dishes, "How do you know that?"

"I read the calendar and it said Boris wanted to see the Smashers…so, how long are you guys going for?"

"We'll be gone for two days and one night. Why do you ask?"

"Well, who's going to feed me? Or am I coming along?"

"You most certainly are not coming along! You'll be set free in the house…locked in, of course."

"_Wow. This guy is smarter than I thought…"_ "So I'm free to eat and watch TV and whatever, then?"

"Yeah, sure…just don't be stupid, or I'll beat you regardless of the photos." Tavor slammed and locked the trapdoor again.

"Yes!" Pit whispered under his breath, "I'm out of here!" As soon as they left, Pit would just smash a window open and make his escape that way. They probably thought he wasn't daring enough to do so – but he was! In just a few days' time this would all be behind him.

XXXXXXXXX

**A few days later…**

"Now remember Pit; don't turn the air conditioning up so high or eat too much…" Pit rolled his eyes as his aunt prattled on and on. He didn't care at all about this junk; he'd be free in a few hours.

"Let's go, Kara," Tavor called from downstairs. Kara immediately went quiet, and her face was thin and worried. She shut the trapdoor and went downstairs, without locking Pit in. A few minutes later Pit heard front door slam shut, meaning everyone else was outside.

Pit counted to one hundred in his head, just to make sure they'd be far enough away and wouldn't hear him, and then he opened the door and went downstairs. Immediately, Pit sensed something was wrong. There were only lights on…where was the sunlight? Every room couldn't have blackout curtains…could they?

The young angel quickly made his way to the front door and tried it. It was locked, like Tavor had promised. On this level too, there was no sunlight. What the heck was going on?

Pit then entered the living room and turned on the lights. He stared in shock at the window. The curtains had been pulled closed so no one could see inside, and boards had been nailed over the curtains so Pit couldn't escape. Pit leaned against the wall from a combination of shock and exhaustion, "This is impossible! There's no way he could have done every window!"

But it was true. Every window was nailed shut, the doors were locked, and Pit was trapped. Pit went into the kitchen for a quick drink while he thought of a new plan.

"There's got to be a way out! Maybe I can pry off the boards myself?" Pit went to the kitchen window above the sink and pulled as hard as he could. No luck; he was just too weak and the nails had been driven in too deep.

"Ok…" Pit panted after he hopped off of the counter, "I need a saw, or hammer, or…something. I wonder if a butcher knife would work." Pit tried a knife, a meat tenderizer and even a frying pan, but none of the tools were powerful to help him out. If Pit had a week and not just two days, he probably could saw through the board with a knife. But in the time limit he had, he was going nowhere.

"Fuck!" Pit shouted out loud. Immediately he winced for doing so. His mother never approved of cursing, but here he was thinking every nasty word he knew of because he was trapped.

"I'm not trapped! There's got to be a way…there just has to!" Pit's eyes went to the telephone, "How could I be so stupid? The phone, of course!"

Pit picked up the receiver, but didn't even get a dial tone. Looks like Tavor had disabled the phone lines too. For someone who looked stupid and acted rash, he was actually pretty smart. Pit sighed and hung up the phone, and then began to walk around the house, checking if there was any possible exit Tavor had forgotten to block, or some means of communication he could use. But then again, this was his house and not Pit's. If there was a secret exit or computer with internet access somewhere, Pit probably wouldn't find it.

Eventually Pit was too tired to keep looking. He settled for just making a sandwich and watching the whole Smash Brothers event on television. Pit almost felt sorry for the poor Smashers; they were being mauled by so many fans and looked exhausted.

"Why would you even care what my favorite flavor of ice cream is? It's vanilla, if you really need to know!" Pikachu snapped, pushing one of the microphones away from him, "How old am I? Five in human years, which is like fourteen in Pokémon ages…no, I'm not in love with Jigglypuff, and no, I'm not interested in having a girlfriend! Stop bugging me!"

"My hand is getting tired. I simply cannot write one more autograph! No, I will not kiss you!" The last one Captain Falcon directed at a young teenage girl, who pleaded and begged before being taken away by the security guards.

"They may all be from different places and live different lifestyles, but they all get along. It's a completely voluntary choice to come fight in Super Smash Brothers, and they have fun doing so." Master Hand seemed a little surprised at the next question someone barked at him, "Do I ever hit the fighters? Of course I don't; at least not outside of the arena. I am the final boss, so I…" Master Hand recoiled when the reporter interrupted him to clarify, "How do I punish them? You know, just because I'm a giant hand doesn't mean I can only hit the Smashers to teach them a lesson. Most of the time they fit the perfect standards of chivalry, so there's no need for punishment…why are you asking me this – do you believe I'm abusing the fighters? I'd never!"

"I wonder if those guys regret coming here…" Pit muttered out loud to himself during a commercial. The program went on and on, talking about each Smasher's life and fighting style and powers. "It must feel like being a bug under a microscope. I wonder if they ever think about running away and escaping."

XXXXXXXXX

**In Sky City…**

"Hey Mario, you know that tomorrow neither of us have fights in the afternoon, right?" Link whispered to his friend. The next day the Smashers were going to stage a few fights for the residents of this world before heading back to the Smasher's Base.

"Yeah? So?" Mario sleepily opened his eyes and yawned. All day long they had been talking and signing autographs and whatnot, and now he was tired. The roars of the crowd were still ringing in Mario's ears.

"Well, wanna go explore a little with me? Master Hand said we can borrow one of the cars and drive over to one of the other cities. Everyone seems to either be here or at home watching the event; we should be able to sneak out basically unnoticed!"

"Sure, alright…" Mario yawned again, "Go to sleep, Link. I'm tired."

"Yeah, yeah, I know…" Link went back to his own bed. He was sharing a hotel room with Mario, Luigi and Captain Falcon, but the latter two were already asleep. Link sighed and closed his eyes; he didn't mind fighting live, as long as the crowds weren't anywhere near him. Tomorrow wasn't going to be much fun…

XXXXXXXXX

**Back in Sun City… **

"I wonder if I should even bother trying to open the window again…" Pit stared at the boards, illuminated by the glow of the TV screen. Pit was so tired he had fallen asleep, and he was surprised to have woken up late with the channel was still going on about the Smashers. Were they really that exciting to be talked about for fourteen hours non-stop?

"Maybe if I started a fire, the fire department could come and save me? But then again, most firefighters don't expect the doors and windows to be barred shut." Pit sighed and shut off the TV. Whether he liked it or not, he was stuck inside.

"I'd change lives with any of those Smashers in a heartbeat if I could. At least somebody comes to their rescue when they're being hurt," Pit mumbled to himself before falling asleep.

XXXXXXXXX

The next day Pit only managed to swallow a few mouthfuls; he could barely eat because he knew his relatives were coming back today. He walked around the house again, desperately searching for a way out, but eventually he had to come to terms with the fact that he wasn't going to escape.

"Oh well…there will be other chances. I've just got to hang on…" Pit decided that if he couldn't get out, he at least could store some supplies for when he got a chance to escape.

His parents always said that he could perfectly analyze a situation and look at it from every angle. Pit immediately thought that anything he took should be unnoticeable and imperishable. He could hide it in the wardrobe upstairs; at least that got rid of the need to find a hiding spot. And of course, he'd have a smaller stash somewhere as backup just in case they found the first one.

"Alright…I'm going to need food, but it should all be cans and juice boxes. A can opener, of course…and perhaps a knife or spoon or something, if I can find a plastic one. Oh, and supplies for a first aid kit…maybe a flashlight if I can find one they won't miss. And money! I forgot about that…there should be a few coins lying around here somewhere…"

The food was easy enough, since nobody else was home. Pit snatched up a couple of cans of fruit slices and noodles, as well as a handful of granola bars and juice boxes that were out of their packages. The relatives wouldn't miss them.

After that, Pit went looking for the harder supplies. He did manage to find a plastic fork and an old can opener, which was better than nothing. He took a handful of bandages from the first aid kit in the kitchen, but because there was only a single tube of disinfectant he left that alone. He had no luck finding a flashlight, but discovered a ten-dollar bill underneath the couch. It wouldn't get him far, but it was better than nothing.

"Well, it's more than I hoped for," Pit sighed while he hid a backup supply in the stuffing of the old chair. Still, he couldn't help but feel so disappointed that he couldn't escape! It was hard to say when he'd get another chance…

A sudden blast shook the house, and Pit dropped his supplies and rushed downstairs. When he reached the living room, he jumped back in shock. The boards covering the window were on fire!

XXXXXXXXX

**A few minutes earlier…**

"I'm glad we got away from all of those fans…I can't stop hearing all of those girls' screams!" Link shuddered as he drove the car down another random street. Mario and he were able to sneak away that afternoon and decided to head to Sun City…for sounding like such a nice place, it was actually quite dull…

"You're right, Link…it is quite empty around here." Mario looked out the side window and then back at Link, who was driving, "I don't want to be harassed anymore…"

Link laughed, "You sure would be, considering I kicked your butt just a little while ago!"

"Hey, you hit me with that capsule which was actually a bomb! It was a cheap knock-out!"

"So? I still won! You're just jealous!" Link laughed again.

"Are not!" Mario retorted, pushing Link.

"Hey, don't attack the driver!" Link replied, shoving Mario back.

The two friends were so busy play-fighting that they didn't realize that they were slowly drifting towards the houses. Soon enough, Mario shot a fireball at Link, and because Link had the window rolled down it went past him and through the window of a house.

"Oh shit! We started that poor guy's house on fire!" Link gasped, slamming on the brakes and then shutting off the car, "We've got to do something!"

"Well, there isn't a car in the driveway. Hopefully nobody's home…" Mario unbuckled his seatbelt and followed Link to the house.

XXXXXXXXX

Pit coughed and stepped back again. Three thoughts were running through his mind: 'I could be killed' 'Hey, maybe I can run through the flames and get out the window' and 'Holy cow – the room's on fire!'

"Quick Link – use your ice arrows!" Wait a second; Pit knew that voice…

Suddenly the fire stopped, for it was now frozen in ice. Pit blinked in shock, and then cautiously walked towards the ice blocks and knocked on one. Wow – the fire had actually been frozen solid.

"Hey, is everyone alright in there?" A green-clad elf and a smaller man wearing a red shirt and blue overalls hopped through the now destroyed window. Pit couldn't help but stare.

"Wait…you guys are Mario and Link!" Pit gasped.

Mario nodded, "Nice to meet another fan."

"Heh, yeah…sorry about the window, pal," Link nervously scratched the back of his head, "It was an accident."

"What happened?" Pit asked.

Link and Mario looked at one another, and then sheepishly explained what had occurred. Pit laughed after they were through, "So what Master Hand says is true – you guys are pretty fun!"

"Oh yeah – we take saving the world pretty seriously, but little else. Anyways, I should defrost your room…" Mario touched the ice, and slowly it melted along with the fire, "There ya go."

"Er…thanks, I guess," Pit replied.

"By the way…what's your name?" Link asked.

"My name is Pit."

"Well then Pit, where's your parents?" Link asked, looking around, "I mean, I can see you're old enough to take care of yourself, but..."

"They're dead," Pit replied, "I live with my relatives now."

Link and Mario became sober after that. "Oh…I'm so sorry," Mario said.

"It's alright…say, how old are you guys?"

"I'm sixteen and Mario is twenty. Still young enough to have all the girls chase after you, hey, buddy?" Link playfully shoved Mario.

"Oh, shut up…" Mario pushed Link back, "How old are you, Pit?"

"Eleven."

"Eleven? Really? That's terrible!" Link frowned, "I'm an orphan too, but at least I never had to deal with knowing my parents and then loosing them…"

"Stop all of this depressing talk! I mean, we just set the room on fire and we're simply ignoring the fact?" Mario gestured to the pile of rubble behind him, "We need to call Master Hand and have him pay for this, stat!"

"Right, right…hey Pit, is there a phone we can use?" Link asked.

"It's dead," Pit replied, "Nothing is working around here."

"Oh…well then…bah, we'll just have to wait for whoever you live with to show up so we can apologize. There's no reason for you to be blamed for this," Mario winked.

"I'll probably be blamed for it anyways," Pit mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Never mind," Pit replied, "Do you guys actually get hurt from fighting?"

"In Master Hand's arena? Nah…it's all for fun. You'd think beating the hell out of each other day after day would become boring, but with the group we're in it's tons of fun!" Link smiled, "I love using my bow and shooting at my friends with the knowledge that they won't get hurt! It's more interesting to shoot at moving targets." Link quickly took out his bow and armed it, aiming at Mario.

"Hey! Don't kill me!" Mario said, pretending to duck in fear, "I want to go back with two eyes!"

"Can I try your bow?" Pit asked, stepping forward. He loved archery himself, and he hadn't been able to practice in weeks.

Link looked a little surprised, but shrugged and handed Pit the bow and arrow, "Just be careful now, because –" Link couldn't hide his surprise when Pit expertly armed and fired the bow, embedding the arrow dead center above the window.

"Would you look at that! He's just as good as you, Link," Mario nudged the elf, "Looks like you have a rival in that young angel."

"I most certainly do!" Link turned back to Pit, "Say, do you think you could get away at some point and practice with me? I'd love to see what you could do with a bow! You seem quite talented."

Pit flushed slightly from hearing such praise from two great fighters, "Well, I…" He was interrupted when a car came into the driveway, and a moment later a string of curses came through the window.

"That must be your relatives…" Link chuckled, "What a colorful choice of vocabulary."

A moment later, the front door was unlocked and Tavor shouted, "Pit, what the fuck have you –" Tavor stared in shock to see two Smashers standing in his living room, "Done?" His sentence ended in a squeak.

Mario stepped forward, "I'm sorry sir, but Link and myself were fooling around and we kind of set your living room on fire. Anyways, we put it out and we'll pay for the damage."

Boris came in a moment later, and he squealed with excitement to see the two heroes close up, "It's them! It's them! It's Mario and Link!" Boris ran forward, "Can I have your guys' autographs?"

"Sure," Link shrugged, "Just get us some paper and a pen and we'll do it."

Boris clapped his hands excitedly and ran out of the room. Tavor turned to the two heroes, "Why you two are in my home?"

"Sorry sir, but we wanted to make sure everything was alright…and not just run away to make it seem like arsonists attacked the place," Link replied.

"So what were you talking to my nephew about?" Tavor crossed his arms.

"Just stuff, you know…" Mario took the paper and pen from Boris and began to write.

"That reminds me, sir…Pit is an amazing archer. I would like to know if you could possibly spare him for a few days so we could train together." Link flashed a smile at Pit, "I've never seen someone so young so talented…we could a lot from each other."

Tavor glared at Pit, and Pit shuddered under his gaze, "We'll have to see about that."

"Alright…" Link scribbled his name down on the paper Boris handed him, "Well, here's the number of the phone that I actually answer. If Pit can come see me at some point, I know we'll have lots of fun." Link ripped the paper and handed part of it to Tavor, "Sorry about your window…it'll be fixed soon."

"Of course," Tavor muttered, stuffing the paper into his pocket.

"Well, I'm glad that's settled. Nice meeting all of you…especially you, Pit." The two Smashers shook hands with everyone, "We'll see you later." Link and Mario waved goodbye before jumping out of the window.

As soon as the two heroes left, Tavor grabbed Pit's arm and twisted it, "What did you tell them?"

"Nothing! I didn't tell them anything!" Pit gasped, shocked by the pain, "Let me go!"

Tavor grunted and released Pit, "Go to your room. I'm too tired to deal with you tonight." Tavor stomped out of the room, and Boris was too busy admiring his autographs to be interesting. Pit went back into the attic and shut the trapdoor. Then he looked at the piece of paper Link handed him while they were shaking hands,

_Hey Pit!_

_You seem like an awesome angel, and I'm sure the other Smashers would like to meet you as well! My email address is the first one, and Mario's is the second. Just send us a message if you'd ever like to chat!_

_Link_

"Wow…I can't believe they actually are interested in me…" Pit hid the emails in the chair, along with his back up supply, "Now I just need to get onto a computer…I may have missed my chance to escape today, but with this I stand a much better chance…"


	6. Practice Session

_**A few weeks later…**_

Pit was never the biggest fan of the library. Sure, he liked reading – but he preferred playing a sport or practicing archery than hearing about somebody else doing so. But today, the library was one of Pit's favorite things in the world – for it had computers with internet access.

When Kara asked if Pit would like to come along, he happily agreed. Even though Boris and Tavor would be there as well, meaning he probably wouldn't be able to escape, he could still try sending an email to Link or Mario.

The bruises and scars Pit had received before had healed, which meant that soon enough he'd be working for his keep, like a hunting dog. _"Except,"_ Pit thought bitterly, _"Dogs are better treated."_

"Here we are," Tavor said, parking the car. He turned halfway around and looked at Pit, "Now remember; don't say a word to anyone or you know what happens…"

"I already know; you explained that to me about four hundred times," Pit replied. Tavor held up his hand to strike Pit, but changed his mind and let it drop. Good choice.

As soon as Pit got inside the building, he headed for the computers. It was a good thing he had memorized his library card number, considering that the card was good with any library in all of Sky World. He quickly popped open an online book, just in case one of his relatives came over to see what he was doing, and then opened up his email to send a message to Link.

_Hey Link,_

_It's Pit. Sorry that I've taken so long to talk to you; I've been kind of busy. Summer's ending for me, so I'll be back in school soon and won't have much free time, but I'd like to practice archery with you at least once. _

_Please reply to me as soon as you can; Tavor doesn't want me to see you, so don't tell him anything. _

_Pit_

Pit sent off the message, crossing his fingers that he'd get a reply. He started to read the book, and then the minimized screen at the bottom flashed orange. Pit pulled up his email and saw that Link had already replied.

_Is that soon enough for you?_

_I was already replying to email, so I decided to reply to yours as well. I'll be free tomorrow, considering I took a nasty fall in a practice and twisted my ankle. I can't run, but who needs to run in archery?_

_I just looked up a map here; do you know Toya's archery range? Could you possibly meet me there around four in the afternoon?_

_Link_

Pit couldn't believe his luck. He just had to reply.

_I'll be there, although I no longer have a bow of my own. What should we do about that?_

_Pit_

A few minutes later, Link sent his response.

_It's cool; you can use my old one. Anyways, I have to go; dinner time for me._

_See you soon!_

_Link_

Pit logged off the computer and then sat there, thinking quietly for a few minutes. Now all he had to do was somehow manage to convince Tavor to let him leave the house for a few hours. Or sneak out and get back without getting in trouble; neither option was going to be easy.

"Let's go, Pit. We're done." Pit jumped at the sound of Tavor's voice, who then yanked on the young angel's shoulder to get him to come. In the car, Tavor asked, "Why were you on the computer, Pit?"

"Reading a book," Pit muttered.

"Which one?"

"Something about slavery," Pit said, choosing a topic at random; then he realized what a bad choice that was.

Tavor's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "You're in big trouble now," Tavor snarled.

Boris laughed and sang, "Pit's in trouble, Pit's in trouble…"

"_Well, I'm already screwed. I might as well deserve it…"_ Pit twisted in his seat and smashed his fist into Boris' face.

Boris seemed confused for a moment, but when blood started dripping from his nose he began to cry.

Kara was screaming, while Tavor cursed Pit and then began to drive to the hospital. Pit gulped, realizing that this was going to end way worse than he originally thought.

XXXXXXXXX

Sitting in the waiting room was hard. Tavor right beside Pit and continually watched him, while Kara went with the doctor who was examining her son. Pit tried to look at some of the pictures on the wall, but with Tavor's dark eyes boring into his skull Pit couldn't help but keep looking beside him.

They had to wait until nightfall before Boris and Kara came out. Even though Pit didn't punch Boris with all of his strength, he did enough damage to ring up a one thousand dollar ER bill. When Tavor saw the bill, he scowled and turned to look at Pit. Pit shuddered and looked down. He was in hot water way over his head.

The drive home was a silent one; with Boris still sniffling and Kara sitting still, like a statue. Tavor was filled with rage, and that made Pit scared. If Tavor hit him out of spite…what was he going to do now that Pit actually did some damage?

Pit was thinking about making a break for it as soon as the car stopped, but he didn't have a chance because immediately Tavor grabbed Pit's arm and dragged the young angel inside. Kara, who was guiding Boris, followed.

Once the door was shut, Tavor flipped Pit around and pushed his back against the wall, "What the fuck did you think you were doing?" Kara and Boris ignored the two and just went around them.

Pit gulped and said, "I didn't hit him that hard…"

"Not that hard? It cost a thousand bucks to repair his nose and you didn't hit him that _hard_?" Tavor slapped Pit, and the handprint rose up on Pit's cheek, "And that wasn't my hardest either."

"It wasn't?" Pit mumbled; his cheek stinging from the blow.

"No…but this is!" Tavor slammed his fist into Pit's stomach; strong enough to make the young angel nearly throw up. Pit was left gasping for air, and then Tavor began to choke him with both hands.

Pit grabbed Tavor's hands and tried to force him off, but it wasn't working. He was already gasping for air, and Tavor grinned wickedly. Then Pit's training kicked in and he brought his foot up and kicked as hard as he could between Tavor's legs. Tavor let go of Pit and dropped onto one leg, and Pit twisted free and jumped over his uncle. Tavor, unwilling to let the young angel get away so easily, turned around and grabbed Pit's foot, tripping him.

Pit was able to land alright, but then Tavor stood up and kicked Pit in the ribs. Pit heard a cracking noise and then was shoved against the wall, gasping for air. Pit rubbed his side and whimpered. The older angel was panting heavily and was extremely angry. He continued to kick Pit's midsection, even though it was obvious that Pit was hurt – and badly.

After about a dozen kicks, Tavor grabbed Pit's right wing and hauled the young angel to his feet. He then spat into Pit's face and snarled, "Let that be a lesson to you." Pit was too hurt to fight back, and allowed himself to be dragged up to the attic and locked in again.

Pit moaned and took off his shirt, checking his ribs. His chest hurt every time he took a deep breath, but when he ran his fingers over them they all seemed to be intact. But then again, since he never had seen someone with a broken ribcage he wasn't exactly sure what to look for.

"_I should have grabbed some painkillers…that was so stupid of me…"_ Pit thought to himself as he slowly lay down on the mattress. Hopefully none of his ribs were broken, for if they were Pit doubted he'd get medical attention.

XXXXXXXXX

Pit slept half the day away and awoke in the afternoon. He moaned as he sat up; the sharp pain in his side had dulled to an aching throb, but was constantly pounding away at him. After rubbing his eyes, he saw that somebody had brought him a glass of water, but no food. But that was ok; Pit wasn't up for eating right now anyways.

After drinking the water, Pit dug through his belongings in search of his dad's watch. The time read three-fifteen…meaning he had to get out of the attic and hike all the way to the archery range in less than an hour. And because he didn't know where the archery range was…this wasn't going to be easy.

The skylight was obviously his only escape route, but opening it up and getting off of the roof without falling was a challenge. Pit guessed his wings would be able to slow his fall, which would make landing alright, but as for opening the window up...Pit looked around the attic to see if there was anything tall enough for him to stand on and open it. Seeing nothing light enough to move without sounding like a herd of cattle Pit ended up pushing off with his wings so he could push open the window. Another jump and he grabbed the ledge and pulled himself through the skylight.

Pit sat on the roof and slowly slid down, hoping that nobody would be outside. Luck was with him today; being a cloudy afternoon meant nobody was around. It was a perfect time to escape.

But there was no chance Pit could run all the way back to Palutena; with his ribs aching like this he'd have enough trouble making it to the end of the block, let alone another city.

"Fine," Pit panted, after sprinting down the block so he was out of sight from the house, "I'll get another chance. I just need to bide my time…"

XXXXXXXXX

Even though his ribs and right leg ached every time he took a step, Pit forced himself to keep walking. It took him about fifteen minutes to get to a small shopping center, and people began giving him weird looks. At first, Pit thought it was because he had bruises showing, but a quick glance in a store window made him realize he was limping. He straightened out his walking, even if it hurt more.

"This is almost too easy," Pit whispered to himself as he walked inside a convenience store, "All stores have phones. I just need to use one…"

A little bell rang when Pit pushed open the glass door. A woman looked up from a magazine she was reading behind the counter and asked, "May I help you?"

"A phone, please," Pit panted, "Can I use the phone?"

"Sure," the woman replied, handing a white cordless phone over to the young angel, "Take as long as you need."

Pit moved to the back of the store, pretending he was looking at the drinks in the freezer case while dialing the palace number. "Please be there, someone!" Pit whispered as he waited for the call to go through.

What he got as a message was like a knife stabbed right through him, "Sorry, but to protect against Medusa's spies this number has been changed and classified. Please try again."

Pit was so shocked he couldn't say anything. He just simply moved the phone away from his ear and hung up. What was there to say? Now it was obvious he couldn't call for help. What next? The police? Would they even believe him? And where would they send him?

No. It was Palutena or tough it out.

"Here," Pit sighed as he handed the phone back, "Thanks for it."

"You look kind of sad, pal. Something wrong?" the woman asked as she took the phone back.

"Never mind. By the way, do you know where to go for Toya's archery range?"

"Yeah. It's about ten blocks from here. Just go down five that way," the woman pointed behind her, "Then turn right at the stoplights and continue on the right side of the highway. You'll know it when you see it; it's right by a cliff and you see down into the ocean."

"Ok…walk, right, right. Got it."

Pit was about to leave the store, but the woman called, "Hey pal, you look familiar, you know? Like that general who died…Lucian, wasn't it?"

That made Pit stop in his tracks. His father…should he tell her who he really was?

No. It wouldn't change anything.

Pit turned around and slowly shook his head, "Yeah, I get that a lot." He left the store.

XXXXXXXXX

Link was sitting on the grass at the back of the archery range when he heard someone call his name, and he looked up to see Pit walking towards him. He waved at the angel and then stood up, walking over with a slight limp because of his ankle.

"Hey, glad to see you could make it! What took you so long?" Link asked.

"I had to walk all of the way. It took awhile." Pit looked across the lawn and at the targets. About ten red-and-white circular targets at different heights were set up on stands about two meters away from the cliff edge. The gray clouds hanging close made the targets really stand out. Nobody else was around; a good day to practice.

"I'm glad you escaped the crazy relatives. Here, I brought you my old bow…it's not in the greatest condition, but it works." Link handed over a quiver of arrows and a wooden bow to Pit, and watched as the angel pulled on the bowstring, testing it.

"You want to go first, or should I?" Link gestured with his own bow, slightly bigger than Pit's.

"You go. I want to see how well you do." Pit sat down, while Link walked to one of the white squares painted on the grass. He plucked an arrow from his quiver, took aim and fired.

It was nearly dead-center; only a centimeter off. Link turned to look at Pit, "Think you can beat that?"

"Oh, I will…" Pit grinned, and Link stepped back while the angel took his place. Just like an elite archer, Pit armed his bow and fired, hitting just beside Link's, but closer to the center.

"Nice…" Link had his turn, and this time was perfectly in the middle, "Now you can't do better!"

"Yes I can!" Pit replied, and he took aim. Link couldn't help but stare in shock as Pit's arrow went right between his second shot and Pit's first.

"Now that's what I call a shot! Who taught you to shoot like that?" Link asked.

"My mother, before she died. She loved archery," Pit replied in a monotone voice, dropping back onto the grass.

Link sat beside him, "Oh, sorry…I guess I shouldn't have asked."

"It's ok. I'll get over it."

Link shook his head and thought to himself, _"Poor kid…he shouldn't feel so bad…"_ Link jumped up, "Hey, I know! Why don't we ask Toya to make the targets move? Then we'll see who the best is!"

"I haven't done a lot on moving targets as I have standing…" Pit mumbled.

"All the better to practice, then. Most enemies won't stand there and wait for you to shoot them." Link dashed off to the small building behind them, while Pit got up a removed the arrows from the target. After a minute, the target they were shooting up rose up into the air so it was about eight feet off the ground, and began to swing slowly back and forth.

Link dashed back and said, "We're all set! Why don't you go first this time?"

Pit nodded, determined to do well. His first shot wasn't too bad; just on the edge of the bull's-eye.

"Pretty good…but I can do better." Link's shot was just as good as his first one on the still target, "Your turn, angel."

Pit snarled to himself, annoyed that he wasn't as good as before. He stepped into the white box, lifted the bow up and armed it. The feathers tickled his cheek as he watched the target move back and forth, back and forth…

This time his shot hit dead center. When Pit turned around to look at Link, he saw the elf shaking his head in disbelief, "I've never seen such a good archer at such a young age. You're incredible."

"Thanks," Pit replied, unable to hold back his smile. It'd been weeks since he'd been praised for something good.

"Want to make it move faster?" Link asked, motioning to the target.

"You bet!" Pit armed another arrow and aimed, "Bring it on!"

XXXXXXXXX

For the next three hours the two archers kept shooting, trying to outdo each other. When the target moved at its fastest speed they each shot more than three arrows that missed and went over the cliff, and Link remarked after missing two in a row, "I'd probably be dead after that."

"Just be glad nothing moves that fast for real," Pit replied, the target moving so quickly it was almost a blur.

"Oh, there's something, I bet. I just hope I never make enemies with it!" Link looked over the target and saw the sun going down, "Man, it's getting late. Think we should turn in for the night?"

Pit had been so happy that he had finally gotten to practice again he had completely forgotten about what he had to go home to, "Oh, damn. Yeah, I'd better go." Pit shifted the quiver off of his back and handed it and the bow back to Link, "Thanks for lending these to me, Link. We have to practice together again sometime."

"You should keep them, Pit. An archer like you should have his own set." Link pushed them back, "Please take them."

"I can't." Pit shook his head, "My uncle would kill me if he saw me with these."

"He wouldn't do that; you'd kill him first. You're good…just as good as I am. Maybe you'll even beat me someday." Link pushed the weapon back into Pit's arms, looked around and then whispered to Pit, "When you were pulling the arrows out from the target, your shirt moved up and I saw the bruises, Pit. On your ribs; lots of them – and one that looked a lot like the toe of someone's shoe."

"_Oh shit. Do I tell him? Could he even help? Or maybe he wouldn't be taken seriously because he's famous and my friend and people would think I just asked him to say something against my relatives so I could get away?" _Pit kept a blank face and didn't reply.

"You may not be a hero just yet, Pit, but someday you could be. Maybe I can pull some strings and get you into Smash Brothers…there are Smashers there younger than you. I can try, if you want." Link gave Pit a look of concern, "What do you say?"

"_No; he can't help…I can't leave. I don't think one beating is enough to get me away…"_ "It's ok, Link. I was just helping clean out the basement and fell off a ladder onto a pile of old toys. It hurt a lot, but it's ok." _"Will he buy it?"_

Link sighed, "My bullshit radar is sounding like hell right now, but I can't say I'm not surprised that you won't tell me. After all, we don't really know each other…"

"It's ok, Link. Really…" Pit looked at the bow and arrows, and then shifted them onto his back, "Ok, I'll keep them."

"Good," Link said, smiling, "So, when can we meet up again?"

"School's starting, so perhaps…" Pit thought for a moment, "End of September?"

"Yeah…the twentieth is a Saturday. How about then, at four?"

"Ok…but don't be surprised if I don't show up. I'm not sure if school will keep me working or not."

"Try and warn me if you can't come…but if you don't, it's cool." Link sat back on the grass and motioned for Pit to join him, "Tell you what; let's each say something that you rarely tell anyone else, so we can get to know each other better."

"Alright…" Pit replied, sitting down, "You go first."

"Ok. Do you know why in all of my video games, I never speak?"

"Nope…why?"

"Well, the first time I was being interviewed I was so nervous I couldn't say a word. Eventually I was able to get away, but I never said one word. The company already had the game set up, but didn't know what my voice sounded like, so instead of making one up they decided just to leave it as nothing. It's been like that ever since."

Pit burst out laughing, "That's great!"

"Oh, shush. I still get teased about that…" Link nudged Pit, "Your turn."

"Ok…" Pit thought for a moment, "I can make my wings glow with gold sparkles."

"Really? Can I see?" Link asked. His eyes got wider when Pit's wings began to glow; the sparkles like little rays of sun against the fluffy cloud-white wings, "That's amazing, Pit. Why can you do that?"

"I don't know. And I haven't seen anyone else do it. And it happens more when I feel a strong emotion, like sadness or anger." Pit let the sparkles disappear again.

"Interesting…" Link rubbed the tip of Pit's wing, "Can you fly? I don't see many angels here who fly…"

"It's tiring to fly, actually. But I can." Pit stood up, took a deep breath, and began to flap his wings. He let himself rise about ten meters, and then let himself back down.

"That must be so cool to have wings. You wouldn't have to worry about falling to your doom and it must cut down on travel time…" Link suddenly turned his head away from Pit, "What was that?"

"What was what?" Pit asked, looking over Link's shoulder.

"I thought I saw those bushes move," Link said, pointing at a patch of flower bushes to the right, "I think someone's in there."

"You're crazy. Who would be out here watching us?"

The two remained silent for a minute, and seeing that the shrubs remained still Link turned back to Pit, "Do you want a ride home?"

"Sure…but drop me off at the end of the block, ok? I don't want Tavor to see me with you – he's already annoyed with me enough as it is."

Link stood up and guided Pit to where he had parked the borrowed car, "Why not? I can't see anyone who would mind having their kid hanging out with a hero, vain not intended."

"Vain and title deserved. It's just that Tavor doesn't like me all that much…I think it's because I'm better than his son or something…I don't know." Pit shrugged, getting into the car.

"Who's Tavor?" Link asked as he got into the driver's seat.

"My uncle."

Link froze for a moment, and then resumed putting on his seatbelt, "Why did you stop calling him uncle?"

"He's no family of mine," Pit muttered.

"What was that?"

"I said I call him that because he doesn't seem like an uncle. I didn't even know he was alive until after my parents died. They never told me." Pit let the conversation end right there, and he whispered to himself, "And I think now I know why."


	7. Moving Back and Forth

_**I guess I lied; I took ages to update! Anyways, here's a holiday gift from me!**_

Link let Pit out at the end of the block, and waved goodbye as the angel walked away. He couldn't help but feel guilty about leaving Pit alone – something wasn't quite right about his life. Pit seemed to have some sort of wall built up, and whenever you spoke to him about something peculiar he took his time to respond, weighing every word just to make sure he wouldn't give something away. Then there were those bruises Pit had, all along his side…Link was almost certain that somebody had kicked Pit, but it could have been a trick of the light. Was Pit's behavior really the result of crazy relatives, or was he simply just a kid who was grieving over his parents' deaths?

"Why do I feel so drawn to that little angel? Is it because he's such a good archer, or is it because I feel he's hurt somehow and my hero instincts are kicking in?" Link muttered to himself as he started to pull back into the street.

"The second one, I'm pretty sure."

Link looked around for the source of the voice, "Who was that?"

"Me!" Link looked to his right, to the slightly open window, and saw Pikachu looking through the window of the car upside down; he must have been sitting on the roof, "Are you gonna let me in?"

"What the heck are you _doing_ here? Did you follow me?"

"I was bored, alright! And then I saw you leaving the Base and I thought I'd tag along. That kid's a sweet archer, don't ya think? And are you gonna let me in?"

"Stay on one topic!" Link replied, leaning across the seats to open the door, letting Pikachu slip into the front passenger seat, "Were you spying on me?"

"I told you already - when we both smashed into each other yesterday and got injured, I was banned from fighting, like you. So all I could do was wander around because everybody else was busy battling, but then I saw you leave the Base and I wondered where you were going. It was boredom that made me come, not because I was spying on you!" Pikachu buckled his seatbelt, "So, where are we going?"

"To return the car. You know, most people just play Solitaire or read a book when they're bored, not sneak around! Where were you hiding for the past four hours or so anyways?" Link asked, starting to drive.

"Oh, I just teleported after you with my pendant and then slipped into the trunk of this car, which, by the way, smells of blood. I think it was used to transport bodies or somethin'."

"What? Are you serious?"

"…No…" Pikachu grinned, "Afterwards, I just hung out in some bushes and watched you guys practice, and wandered a little. That kid was awesome – even better than you! That was Pit, the angel you and Mario told us about, right?"

"Yeah, that was Pit. And he's not better than me just yet."

"He will be if he gets more practice! How come that kid can shoot so well?"

"Parents taught him."

"Oh! His parents are dead though, aren't they?"

Link nodded and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for the light to change. Pikachu sat silent for a few moments, and then began to babble once Link started driving again, "You know, maybe you're attached to him 'cause you both have no parents. I mean, you never really knew yours and all, but Pit did, and anyways you can still miss someone you didn't know if they were your family. Maybe he reminds you of yourself, and you went through a lot of hardships and stuff –"

"That's because I carry the Triforce of Courage; not because my parents died," Link said sharply, cutting the Pokémon off.

"…Well, yeah, sure…but how easy was it living the way you –"

"Pikachu, my childhood wasn't that bad. Sure I had to jump around through time and beat up a lot of monsters and such, but all in all it was pretty good. Are you trying to get to a point here?"

Pikachu nodded, "You think someone beat up Pit, right? The bruises?"

"He said it was from falling, but I dunno…it looked like a shoeprint on his side."

"Are you sure it was?"

"No, I'm not. But Pit's so jumpy I just know something's not right."

"He just lost his parents, Link. He must still be grieving."

"I know Pikachu, but…it's just that…"

"Just what?"

"His relatives don't seem to like him much."

"So? They're probably annoyed they got dumped with another kid all of a sudden while they're struggling to pay the bills. And don't forget that either Pit's aunt or uncle lost a sibling. They probably see their sibling in Pit."

"True…but it still doesn't excuse their behavior."

"Then think of it this way; what if you were raped and had your rapist's child?"

"That would be greatly traumatizing because I'm a guy."

"This is a rhetorical question! The thing is that you'd have a hard time accepting the kid because you'd be reminded of a bad time in your life every time you looked at them. But eventually you'd grow to love them because they're a part of you, know what I mean?"

It was quiet for a minute, and then Link shrugged, "Sure, but it's hard to imagine. So what you're saying is that Pit's probably telling the truth?"

Pikachu shrugged in response, "I'm just saying give him the benefit of the doubt right now. He could have gotten the bruises from falling or maybe even fighting with his cousin. His behavior could be a result from his grief. And if he was being hurt, why didn't he tell you?"

"Because we barely know each other – that's why. He would think I wouldn't believe him."

"Well, why don't you invite him over and let him meet the group?"

"To the Base? Would Master Hand allow it?"

"Sure! If all twelve of us annoyed him long enough he'd cave in. He always does."

"That's true…but I don't have Pit's phone number."

"Phone book?"

"I don't know his relatives' last name."

"Fine then – make it challenging! Just email Pit then and wait for a response."

"It could take a while."

"We've got all the time there is. How much farther to the car rental place thing?"

"Couple of blocks," Link responded, turning onto another street, "We've got another five minutes or so left."

"Wonderful. Anyways, are you gonna talk to Pit?"

"I'll try…I just wonder if I should talk to Master Hand about my suspicions first."

"And those suspicions are…?"

"Pit is being hurt by his crazy, unknown relatives."

"Unknown relatives?"

"He said that he didn't even know they existed until after his parents died."

"Really?" Pikachu's eyes grew wider when Link nodded, "How odd. I wonder why…"

XXXXXXXXX

The pain in Pit's side was a lot duller than it had been in the morning. The huge throb had been reduced to only a tiny spasm, and that made it a lot easier to scramble back into the attic. It still took three tries for Pit to make it back onto the roof without falling back down, but he made it up without getting hurt.

The skylight was easy enough to open, and Pit landed only with a slight thump on the attic floor. He grinned to himself as he slumped against the wall. He had done it – he had escaped from the attic and made it back without being found out! Pit got up for a moment to place the arrows and bow into the old chair, and then sat back against the wall.

"Now that I know I _can_ get out, I just need to wait for myself to heal. Which means that I have to stay on Tavor's good side for a while…and that means…" Pit shuddered, remembering that scene with the camera just a little while ago, "I might have to do some things I won't be proud of. But it'll be worth it if I get out of here."

The sound of footsteps brought Pit's attention to the attic door, and Pit looked to his right to see his uncle enter the attic. "Do I get fed today?" Pit asked, tired of hoping for food and the empty feeling in his stomach.

"Perhaps…" Tavor snarled, slamming the attic door shut behind him and walking over to Pit, "Stand up."

Pit shakily rose to his feet, leaning against the wall. His ankle still hurt and made it hard to stand up properly.

"Good…" Tavor said, looking Pit up and down, "Now, strip."

"What?"

"You heard me, Pit. Take your clothes off!"

"You're disgusting!"

"Oh really? You're the one stripping for food."

"Well, where the hell is my food? I haven't eaten all day."

"I'm surprised, Pit. I thought for certain Link would have bought you something."

Pit opened his mouth in horror, trying to deny the claim to save himself from the pain sure to come, but all he could do was stare in shock and slowly breathe. Tavor laughed, "I know you left the house, Pit. A good friend of mine called me and told me where you were and who you were with."

"What? Who told you?"

Tavor slapped Pit across his left cheek, "Don't question me, Pit! I'm in control here, and I decide what happens to you!"

"Which is…?"

"No food for a week and that you'll never see Link again!"

XXXXXXXXX

After Link had handed the car keys back to the dealer, he went over to Pikachu, who was standing by the candy machine. Pikachu turned around and made his eyes get big and cuddly, making Link sigh and hand over a couple of quarters so that Pikachu could get a handful of Skittles.

"Your favorite flavor's lime, right?" Pikachu asked, searching through his cupped hands with his tail. Although because Pikachu's mouth was full of Skittles, it sounded more like, "Wawor fwayvite fllaayyyvvoorrszz lem, writ?"

"Yeah, but I like lemon too." Pikachu moved some green and yellow Skittles to the edge of his hand, allowing Link to pick them up, "Thanks."

"No problem," Pikachu said, finally swallowing the candy in his mouth, "By the way, do you think Pit knows any centurions?"

"Well, his parents might have been part of the army considering he's such a good archer. I suppose he could. Why?"

"Well, I left you two alone at the range for about an hour and went wandering. Some centurion came up to me and asked if I knew where Pit was. I pointed her to the range. She seemed like she knew him and everything, but I just wanna make sure I didn't send kidnappers to him or something."

"We didn't see anybody else there – not even you. I could ask Pit about her. What was the centurion's name?"

"Oh, I know this…Emilyle…Emilis…"

"Emily?"

"Yeah, that's it! Her name was Emily!"

XXXXXXXXX

Pit could feel tears building up behind his eyes; it was the fact that he wouldn't be able to freely see Link, not that he was going to be starved, that was making him nearly cry, "You…you can't do that!" Pit gasped, "He's my friend!"

"_Friend_? Link isn't your friend, Pit!" Tavor roared at Pit, pulling the young angel's arm forward and throwing Pit to the ground, "He's famous and has no time for worthless wastes of space like you!"

"I'm…not…worthless…" Pit growled, moving to his hands and knees, "And…Link _is_ my…friend."

"Even if he is your friend, he's dangerous – you tell him one little thing, and if he supports you the whole bloody universe will support you. I've got a life and you ain't gonna ruin it!" Tavor grasped Pit's right wing and pulled sharply up, making Pit cry out and come up to his knees, "All you have to do is sign one little piece of paper. What's so damn hard about that?" Tavor yanked both of Pit's wings and twisted them.

A few tears slipped out of Pit's eyes due to the pain; his wings were a very sensitive part of his body, "That's...supposed to…be my inheritance! It's...all I…have!"

"You have a pretty little body and your virginity. Go whore yourself off to your elvish friend."

"He's not…like that…unlike…you!"

The hit delivered to the back of his head was so hard Pit nearly blacked out. He sunk to the floor for a moment before being pulled back up to his feet and thrown against a wall. Tavor slapped Pit across the cheek, and then grabbed Pit's hair so the younger angel wouldn't fall to the floor. Again and again Tavor struck Pit, the blows centered on his chest, arms and cheeks. Pit was dazed, and each blow Tavor dealt to him took a few seconds to register. The hurt angel could feel the blood running down his body and seeping into his clothes, and it seemed to him like he was a fountain of red, gushing out so much blood he was coated with it.

"You…fucking…little…freak!" Tavor yelled between blows ignoring that fact that Pit was bleeding from multiple points and looking close to passing out, "I…will…break…you…no matter how long it takes!" Tavor grabbed Pit's left arm and twisted it cruelly behind the young angel's back, causing Pit to cry out again, "You want me to break this arm, or are you gonna strip for me?"

"I'll take my clothes off! I'll take my clothes off! I'll strip! Just stop!" Tavor let go of his arm, and Pit held his hurt limb to his chest, coddling it.

"Well…?" Tavor snarled.

"I'll get on it," Pit whimpered, shuddering under the gaze of this crazed man. He slowly reached down to his feet and unlaced his shoes, blood dripping down his arms and soaking into his socks. He peeled his socks off next, stuffing them into his shoes and then kicking the footwear aside.

"Come on, come on…get on with it…" Tavor snarled.

"Give me a second," Pit whispered, his head throbbing. Trying to use his left arm as little as possible, Pit gripped the collar of his bloody shirt and slowly pulled it over his head. He let it drop by his side, and then moved on to his pants.

Tavor was completely hypnotized by what was going on in front of him, amused that this little angel was obeying his every command. Pit was shaking as he slipped his last articles of clothing off his weak body, leaving him completely exposed to the older angel's wandering eyes and hands.

Pit could barely stand looking at his uncle while he was completely naked under his uncle's orders – but he made himself look up, just in case Tavor wanted to try something nasty. Last year, when Pit had accidentally walked into a room when his parents were discussing the rape and murder of a young girl, he felt quite embarrassed about it. It was past Pit's bedtime, so his parents were quite explicit on the details. Hearing all of these new terms like 'rape' and 'oral sex' really confused Pit at first, and only after his parents noticed that their young son had walked in on them did they take the time to explain to Pit everything. Most kids weren't going to learn all of that stuff until they were twelve or thirteen, but Pit gained the knowledge early on. And it was a good thing too – otherwise something much worse could have happened to him.

"You'd be so much prettier if you just gained some weight…" Tavor mumbled, stroking Pit's cheek while still staring at Pit's private areas, "I'll get you some food if you let me touch you…"

"_Do it!"_ Pit thought to himself, _"Just agree! The faster you get healed, the faster you'll get out of here!"_ "Ok…" Pit said out loud, his voice shaky, "But don't penetrate me."

"Fine, fine…" Tavor's hand moved from Pit's sore cheek down to his hurt shoulder, then his chest, and the slowly moved all the way down to stroke Pit between the legs. It took all of Pit's strength and courage not to scream, cry or fight back while his uncle, well, _molested_ him. It was sick, disgusting, wrong…but true. The first few times Tavor had tried such things with Pit seemed almost unreal, like Pit could just deny them. But this was, unfortunately, very, very real – he was being fondled in intimate places that should never have been touched by anybody in this way. Until he started dating or got married.

If he survived until then, that is.

"_This isn't right…oh please, finish up! I don't like this…"_ Pit winced slightly when Tavor's other hand slipped around to his backside, but he let it rest there. If he let Tavor touch him like this, he could get food, heal and then run away. It was all towards a goal, and he could suffer through a few minutes of touching every night for living far away from this pervert forever.

"So nice…and young…soft…" Tavor's eyes were cloudy, and he was gripping Pit's crotch and squeezing it, "You're so pretty, Pit. Pretty little Pit…Vincent will like you…"

"Who?" Pit asked. He didn't know any Vincent.

The spell was the broken; Tavor's eyes cleared up and he pulled his hands back, "Nothing." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked down upon the young, exposed angel, "You hungry?"

"Yes," Pit whispered, wondering what Tavor wanted.

"I'll get you something in a minute…but first…" Tavor gripped Pit's left wrist, and then threw Pit down onto the mattress. He snatched the collar and snapped it around Pit's neck, once again chaining the young angel to the wall, "That'll keep you from going anywhere."

"But…but…" Pit gasped, the collar already making him feel more trapped.

"That's what you get for being a runaway. I'll go grab you something to eat." With that, Tavor left the attic, locking the door shut behind him.

Pit stared at the shut door in silence for a minute, and then in spite of himself, Pit pulled his knees to his chest and started to cry, "It's…it's not fair!" Pit sobbed, "Why are they so mean? What have I done to them? They barely know me! Why does Tavor do these things to me? I just want food, no more pain; to get out of here…I want my mom and dad back!" Pit continued to cry for a few more minutes; Tavor still hadn't returned with anything to eat for the starving angel, which made Pit cry even harder, "I'm just a kid! I can't take care of myself! I just can't!" Pit took a deep breath between his sobs, "Why did the goddess just leave me here? Doesn't she care about me at all?"

XXXXXXXXX

"Are you sure he's alright, Emily?" Palutena asked the centurion, pacing back in forth in her temporary palace's grand room, containing a long table with many chairs, where she met with her officers and generals to discuss battle plans, "Is he getting enough to eat? Is he hurt?"

"No, no, goddess; Pit's doing fine. He's happy with Tavor and his family."

"But in the past those Greystones have done…some very bad things. Lucian told me how his father would beat him and starve him because he was considered to have everything – looks, brains, charm…how do I know that Tavor won't do the same to Pit? Lucian said his older brother was always jealous of him, and since his son is basically his spitting image –"

"Goddess, I have talked to Pit and seen him in the flesh; he's healthy and happy. Perhaps Tavor was cruel to his little brother in the past, but what's past is past. Besides; despite Lucian's childhood he grew up to be one of the finest this army's ever seen. Tavor may be a Greystone, but they still protect one another."

"I don't know…" Palutena looked at the phone sitting at one end of the long table in the center of the room, "Maybe I should call Pit and talk to him…"

Emily grabbed Palutena's arms, stopping the goddess from moving, "Goddess, it's very late. I've already checked on Pit and he's doing fine. You have other things to worry about other than the little angel."

"Still…" Palutena bit her lip, "Maybe it was wrong for me to give Pit up just like that. I've known him since he was a little baby, but I just…threw him away. Perhaps I should adopt him myself."

"_Adopt Pit_?" Emily's mouth dropped open in shock, "Palutena, you do not have the time to take care of an eleven-year-old child! We're in the middle of a war!"

"Pit's quite mature for his age. He wouldn't need that much supervision."

"What about clothes, food, toys, school supplies…"

"He would cost less than a solider."

"He would demand attention from you!"

"And he would get attention from me! After all his parents have done for me, I need to do something for their son." Palutena went a window in the room and stared outside, "Emily, the next time you go to check on Pit, tell him that I want to adopt him and that he can come stay with me. It isn't right to burden another family with a child, regardless if they're relatives or not." The goddess turned to face the centurion, "I promised Sora that if anything should happen to her and Lucian that I would take care of Pit, yet all I did was push him away. He'd be safer with me."

"Even if Medusa invaded this place?" Emily asked, skeptical.

"Even if Medusa took over all of Angel Land." With that, Palutena left the room.

Emily cursed to herself and snarled under her breath, "Bloody goddess…just gotta make everything difficult for me, don't you? How will I keep you from calling Pit and finding out the truth, if you're set on adopting the little creature!" Emily looked to the window and sniffed, "No matter. This will be tough, but if it means I get some of that fortune, I'm up to the challenge."


	8. Change of Pace

"Oh come on, Master Hand! Why can't I go?" Pikachu hopped up on Master Hand's desk, effectively blocking the hand's view of the papers he was writing on, "Please?"

"Pikachu, you're hurt. And you're still in trouble for running off yesterday." Master Hand pushed the Pokémon to the side and continued writing the check.

Pikachu pouted and looked at Master Hand, "It's not that big of a deal! And I wanna meet Pit!"

"You couldn't even walk up the stairs last night without help!"

"Well, we'll be taking a car, right? I don't need to walk far!"

"I already told you – you're grounded here because you left without telling me." Master Hand picked Pikachu up and gently set the Pokémon on the floor, "Go tell Mario to come in here."

Pikachu frowned, "Link got away yesterday, and he's hurt."

"He told me that he wanted to leave – he didn't sneak off like you. Link is staying home today as well – with that ankle, he needs to rest. And that goes for you too, Pikachu."

Pikachu sighed, realizing he wasn't going to win this fight, and half-limped, half-scurried out of the room, yelling for Mario as soon as he took one step out of the door.

Master Hand sighed and finished writing the check, ripping it off the book. He was giving six thousand to Tavor Greystone, so the room could be repaired, and the rest was an apology. He was also going to meet Tavor so he could apologize face to face. Master Hand sighed again as he checked everything over – the Smashers rarely got into trouble, but when they did, it was big.

The hand looked up when he heard someone knocking at the door, "Come in."

Mario opened the door and entered the room, but he didn't meet Master Hand's eyes, "You wanted me?"

"Yes – you and I are going to see the Greystones and apologize for their broken window and burnt room. I know it was an accident, but for all we know this could be a major strain on them."

"Link and I are sorry, Master Hand. We really are," Mario sighed.

Master Hand floated over to the plumber and patted him on the head, "I know you are, Mario, and it's alright. You're taking this too hard – which is why I decided that you can invite Pit over to spend a few days with us."

"Wow! Really?" Mario smiled, "What made you change your mind? You've been against the idea since we first brought it up!"

Master Hand snorted, "After four consecutive hours of the twelve of you pleading and asking over and over again, it was either agree or go crazy."

"You are crazy," Mario laughed, following Master Hand outside.

Master Hand chuckled, "If you think I'm crazy, you should meet my brother!"

XXXXXXXXX

Pit was starving – nobody had been up to see him since yesterday, and the food last night was barely enough to satisfy him. He had stopped bleeding now, but his clothes were a wreck, so he was still naked, and he was too far away to reach any of his emergency supplies. Pit simply sat on the blood-stained mattress and stroked his wings, still aching from being twisted last night.

Tavor thumped upstairs to the second floor, and Pit could hear him yelling, "It's not my fault the kid won't listen! He's just like my fucking brother – always wanting to show his superiority!" It was quiet for a minute, and Pit realized Tavor was on the phone, not talking to someone in front of him. "Vincent, I told you already – I will get you those pictures! But you think I'm interested in Pit? Fuck, I want his family's money. I'm not some pedophile – unlike you."

"Tavor doesn't actually want to have sex with me?" Pit whispered, "But what about…"

"Hey, don't get all snappy with me! I've hired you, remember? What did you…what do you mean that I have to send you the first batch of pictures within the month or you're off the case? Look, do you think I'll be able to find another lawyer who's interested in helping me? And this way you'll be able to get your naked little boys for free. Fuck no – you're not having sex with Pit! Those fucking famous Smashers are already interested in him – you rape him and he'll blab everything to them. And do you know what those Smashers will do to us? They're born fighters and will tear us limb from limb!"

The chime of the doorbell sounded from downstairs. Tavor snarled one last thing into the phone before slamming it on a table and going downstairs to answer the door. Pit waited, and in a few minutes Tavor came back and continued to talk loudly.

"It was just some stupid charity person, wanting money. There is little enough around here as it is. Right as this moment my dear wife is shopping with my dear son for school things. School – like it got me or my son anywhere. Boris isn't very smart – but I bet like Lucian, Pit has brains along with looks. I'll have to send Pit to school, but he'll tell sooner or later. Got any ideas to keep him quiet?" Tavor was silent while Vincent replied, "Ok, I'll come to your office in a moment. Just let me check on the kid…"

Pit instinctively backed away when he heard Tavor climbing up the stairs, and Tavor glared at Pit when he opened the trapdoor. "Pit – you need to get your behavior straight. You want food and water today?"

The young angel nodded slowly, "I let you touch me last night. Isn't that enough?"

Tavor sniffed, "Hardly. If you don't start and stay obedient, you get nothing."

"I haven't done anything wrong all day."

"That's because you're chained up. And you're gonna stay there for the next three days." Pit was going to protest, but Tavor climbed back down the ladder and locked the door again.

Pit clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, resisting the urge to curse Tavor out loud. The older angel continued to talk on the phone as he went downstairs, "Yeah, he's punished. Fucking kid, making this so difficult…" The doorbell chimed again, and Tavor groaned, "Who is it now?"

XXXXXXXXX

"Are they home? I don't see anyone," Mario said, jumping up to look through the small window in the door. The window that he had broken weeks before was still covered with a plastic sheet. Perhaps the family was tighter on money that Mario had originally thought.

"Be patient, Mario. Give them a few minutes," Master Hand replied, putting Mario back on the ground.

The door opened, and an angry, middle-aged angel looked at the odd pair standing on his doorstep, "What do you want?"

"Sorry for bothering you, sir, but this is for you." Master Hand handed over the check, and Tavor's eyes went wide when he saw the amount written on it, "Two of my fighters caused quite a commotion here some time ago, and I'm terribly sorry that it occurred. I do hope that the amount will be sufficient for the repairs?"

"Yes…yes, of course…" Tavor muttered, stuffing the check into his jeans pocket, "Anything else?"

"Yeah…could I speak with Pit?" Mario asked, looking around the angel into the house. Pit was nowhere in sight.

Tavor sniffed, "Pit's not here right now."

"Well, where is he?"

"Shopping with his aunt and cousin for school. What do you want to tell him?"

Master Hand was about to speak, but Mario interrupted him; "Do you know where they went? We'll tell him in person."

"Mario, I've got to get back to the Base to make lunch, and you have three fights this afternoon. We don't have time to run around the city." Master Hand spoke to Tavor this time, "Link and Mario have taken a liking to Pit, and now everyone wants to meet him. Would it be possible for Pit to come over to the Base and spend the remainder of the summer with us? That's only a little more than a week."

If that question had been asked to any other person, they would have been floored. Everyone liked at least one of the Smashers, and it would be thrilling to meet them in person, let alone spend a few days at their Base and seem them fight live. With the huge fan base, the Smashers didn't take the time to personally meet each one of their fans, so it meant a lot when all twelve wanted to meet someone. Mario was half-expecting Tavor to say yes, but because of his discussion with Link, he also half-expected the response Tavor gave them, "I'll have to see. We're planning a family vacation and Pit will, of course, come along." The angel gave Mario such a cold stare that he shuddered slightly.

Mario frowned; sure that Tavor simply didn't want Pit to come. Link was right – Tavor didn't like Pit all that much. If Master Hand noticed Tavor's behavior, he didn't acknowledge it. Master Hand politely replied, "I do hope you will allow Pit to visit, sir. The Smashers are dying to meet him." He handed Tavor a piece of paper with the Base's phone number on it.

"Of course. Now, I hate to break up this meeting…" Tavor's tone made it completely obvious to Mario that Tavor wanted this conversation to end, "But I must get back to work. Good day to both of you." The angel slammed the door hard, shaking the frame slightly.

Master Hand chuckled slightly, "Jolly fellow, isn't he?"

"Master Hand, you heard him! He won't ask Pit – he doesn't even like Pit!" Mario protested, following Master Hand back to the car, "Can't you do something?"

Master Hand sighed, "Mario, we barely know Tavor. We could have woken him up from a nap, or maybe he's just having a bad day."

"He's scary. I don't think Pit should be around him."

"Mario, for crying out loud – just because someone is 'scary' doesn't mean that they aren't a good person. Besides, Tavor has a son of his own, and you said Boris was happy."

"But Pit isn't! They didn't even bring Pit along to meet us before!" Mario opened the car door and sat down in the front passenger seat, "I don't like his uncle."

"Stop it, Mario. If Tavor bothers you this much, just email Pit and ask him yourself. It's ok if you don't trust the man, but that is no reason to accuse him of hating his nephew."

Mario snorted as Master Hand turned around a corner, "I bet he hits Pit, just for fun."

Master Hand slammed on the brakes, causing the car behind them to honk, "That is enough!" Mario looked up at Master Hand, and he could easily tell that the hand was angry, "I am disappointed in you, Mario. For being so accepting of all of the other Smashers since day one, who are so different from yourself, you are being quite cruel to that man."

Mario ducked his head; Master Hand had a way of making you feel very guilty when you did something wrong, "Sorry, Master Hand. But –"

"I do not want to hear any more of this, Mario. If you say one more thing about Tavor I will ban you from fighting for an entire week."

"Oh, come on! You could tell he was –"

"Mario!"

"Alright, alright! I'll shut up now." Mario crossed his arms and looked out the window, frustrated that Master Hand couldn't see things his way. Tavor really didn't like Pit – Mario was sure of it – and he was also nearly positive that the bruise on Pit's side Link spotted was from a shoe – Tavor's.

XXXXXXXXX

A week went by, and Pit's wounds had healed over again. It was the last weekend before school began, and Tavor finally came upstairs to free Pit from the wall – lying about only leaving him there for three days, although oddly, Pit had been fed well for the entire week. "Let's go, Pit," Tavor mumbled, undoing the collar around Pit's neck, "Kara wants you looking good for school."

Tavor grabbed Pit's right arm, and led him to the trapdoor. Kara was waiting at the bottom, and clicked her tongue when she saw Pit, "You're filthy. Into the tub with you." Kara grabbed Pit's arm and led him to the bathroom, digging her fake pink plastic nails into Pit's flesh.

Pit stayed standing as he watched the bathtub fill up with water. The bathroom needed to be remolded – it was only about three feet across and eight feet long, including the space at the end taken up by the bathtub. Bits of mold were growing at the bottom of the tub and behind the toilet, and the white tiles on the floor and walls were so old that the tiles were gray. Many of the tiles were cracked or missing altogether, and were stained with toothpaste and soap scum. There was a ragged bath mat in front of the bathtub, looking so worn out it couldn't hold a cup of water now. The top of the mirror was missing a piece, and three of the seven light bulbs above the mirror were burnt out. The sink wasn't faring much better – there was a crack in the basin, and it was also stained from toiletries.

Kara must have noticed Pit looking around the room, for she snapped, "We could have fixed this place if you would just hand over the money." She turned off the water, and then grabbed a towel from a laundry basket sitting underneath the sink. Kara moved past Pit to hang the towel up on the rack, and then she placed one hand between Pit's wings and one on his rear end and began pushing him towards the water, "Get in there and clean yourself up. You will not disgrace this family."

"_It's a little late for that,"_ Pit thought to himself as Kara placed a bar of soap and a washcloth beside him. Kara then left Pit to bathe alone, shutting the door behind her. Pit took his time washing himself; the warm water was soothing on his aching limbs, and the soap got rid of all of the dried blood on his body. Besides; as soon as he was cleaned up, he'd probably get sent back into the attic, and Pit was in no hurry to go back there.

After a half-hour, Kara came bustling in and told Pit to get out of the water. "You're presentable, which is good," she sniffed, dropping a pile of clothes on the counter. Pit stepped out of the tub, and Kara immediately grabbed the towel and rubbed Pit dry with it. She was very rough, and Pit had to bite his lip to keep from crying out.

"There," Kara said once she decided Pit was dry, "Now get dressed." She pointed to the pile of clothes. Kara watched Pit as he dressed in the red t-shirt and dark blue jeans, and as soon as he pulled on the socks she hustled him downstairs.

Tavor was waiting for Pit in the kitchen, while Boris played some sort of video game on one of those wrist watches you got with a kid's meal from a fast food joint. The remains of burgers and fries were spread out on the scratched wooden table. There was still one kid's meal left unopened, and the smell of the food made Pit's stomach growl.

Kara left Pit with her husband and grabbed Boris' arm. Boris looked annoyed to have been interrupted, but Kara whispered into his ear, then pulled her son to his feet and led him out of the room.

Pit stayed standing, and Tavor glared at him. "Sit," Tavor said, pointing at the seat with the kid's meal in front of it. Pit obeyed, keeping his eyes on Tavor. "Eat," Tavor said, pointing at the meal.

"What's the catch?" Pit asked, suspicious.

"No catch for the food. Now eat." Pit watched his uncle as he opened the bag, taking out the hamburger and biting into it. Tavor didn't seem to be angry that Pit was here now, but he must have been plotting something.

Tavor didn't speak until after Pit had eaten everything in the bag. The older angel then pushed the meal bag aside and said, "In two days, school will start. And of course, you will go to the eighth grade, just as planned."

Pit nodded, still confused, "So, what's going on?"

Tavor sighed, and leaned back in his chair, "Eighth grade here is in the high school, so you'll have to choose your classes when you get there on Monday."

"I doubt you've taken the liberty of cleaning me up and feeding me just to tell me this."

Tavor slammed his fist on the table, "If you go to school looking like a starved orphan, you'll be taken away and sent to an orphanage somewhere."

"…and your point?"

Tavor grinned, "Have you heard of the Savior's Orphanage?"

Pit nodded, shuddering at the thought of that place. Last year there had been a long court case about child abuse going on there; everything from beatings to starvation to molestation to murder. The owners were never found guilty and were allowed to keep the place running, but rumor still had it that you could hear the cries of the kids who had died there, all alone.

"Are you going to send me there if I tell?" Pit asked, summoning up his courage, "It can't be any worse than here."

Tavor laughed, "Actually, I'm going to send you to a place worse than there if you tell anyone anything!"

Pit frowned; he knew his uncle was violent, but he didn't seem that smart. "Where will you send me, then?"

The older angel continued to chuckle, "I have a friend who's quite interested in young boys like you, Pit. He is in quite a powerful position in the government – and he also has connections to a child prostitution ring. If you tell anyone, I'll give you to him – and within twelve hours you'll never be seen again."

Pit gulped, now a little nervous, "But…when you beat me…"

Tavor snorted. "I'll just hit you where your clothes cover you up. No one will know, but if they get suspicious," Tavor leaned closer to Pit, "You will deny everything. Got it?"

"I…I guess so…" Pit sighed, wondering if there was anything he could do. Even if he told someone, there would be inquiries and all, which would take time – and by then, he could be somewhere far, far away, doing…Pit didn't want to think about it.

"Will I get more food?" Pit asked, deciding he might as well play all of the cards.

"If you obey," Tavor said, leaning back again, "I'll starve you if you disobey. Things have changed now."

"Really?"

"Yes. So listen here, Pit," Tavor placed both of his meaty hands on the table, hands that gave out slaps more often than handshakes, "You will get up in the morning, go to school, and come home immediately after. No friends of yours that you make can come over. No birthday parties, no group projects." Tavor paused for a moment, and then added, "When is your birthday, Pit?"

"January first. I was born on the stroke of midnight."

"Very nice…" Tavor continued, "You can choose your classes, but as for extra curricular activities, we'll have to talk. And your chores…" Tavor motioned to the kitchen sink, stacked high with dirty dishes, "You will do what I say when I say it; to hell with your grades! You're lucky that I let you live here, so you'd better pull your weight. For now, get on those dishes. If you clean them all and tidy my office by six tonight you'll be fed."

Pit sighed, "Done." The young angel got up and walked over to the sink, putting in the plug and turning on the water. He squirted a bit of yellow soap into the water, and the bubbles started to rise with a lemon scent.

"One last thing, Pit," Tavor said, watching as Pit washed a cup, "If, at the end of this week, you've been perfectly obedient and agree to start taking photos, I'll allow you to go."

"Go? Go where?" Pit asked, scrubbing the tines of a fork.

Tavor snorted, "Mario and Master Hand came over last week. They want you to come visit them at their base."

Pit turned to Tavor, "Really?"

"Yes, but the rule still applies – disobey, and it's goodbye to you." Tavor left the room, and Pit scrubbed the dishes hard, wanting to get out of there, even if just for a few days.

XXXXXXXXX

That Monday morning dawned bright and clear, which probably made a lot of kids mad – having to go to school on such a nice day was a real let down. But Pit was excited to get away from his uncle for a few hours, even if they would be spent at a huge building filled with kids which he didn't know. At least he didn't get beaten that weekend – well, not badly. Yesterday he had been ordered to clean up the breakfast dishes, and even though he had finished all of the ones on the table, Kara had come back and placed a used coffee mug on the table after Pit had left the room. Tavor had been mad and ready to cause bruises, but instead opted for simply spanking Pit for twenty minutes, to cause a good amount of pain without leaving a mark. Pit was sore for the rest of the day, but at least he avoided most of his uncle's wrath.

Tavor had dropped Boris and Pit off at the entrance of Storm High School (and it wasn't until now Pit realized that truly, Angel Land really wasn't creative on names). The old angel had said goodbye to Boris, but gave Pit a glare that said if he did anything wrong, he wouldn't last the night. Pit nodded, silently saying he got the message, before turning and heading for the entrance.

It was strange, being in eighth grade but in high school. At least Kara had been nice enough to give him school supplies; otherwise he'd have a lot of trouble on the first day. He had found the student services area alright and signed up for all of the required classes – math, science, history, language arts, and others. There were two semesters in this school, with five classes for each semester. Because there were eight required classes for eighth graders, Pit ended up choosing woodshop as his last class for this semester and creative writing for the next. The whole process of selecting and moving around classes took a long while, and he had missed his entire first period and part of his second by the time he had finished.

"Here's a note for your next teacher so she'll let you into class," the secretary said, writing something on a small, yellow square piece of paper and handing it to Pit, "Your next class is history, in room 103. That's upstairs." She handed Pit a map of the school, "Have a nice day."

Pit thanked her and left, dashing up the stairs and counting the room doors until he reached 103. The school had no windows whatsoever, just brick walls, but was less like a prison than Tavor's place. Pit knocked on the door, waiting for someone to answer. It took a few minutes, but finally a middle-aged woman with dark brown hair, obviously dyed, opened the door. She wore thick black mascara, dark eye shadow, and a short brown and pink dress.

"Well, well! Late on the first day, are we?" The woman held the door open so Pit could enter the room, and slammed the door shut behind him, "Now, what is your name?"

"Pit."

"Odd name for a child," the teacher sniffed, "Well, what is your excuse for being late?"

Pit's vision shifted to the side, and he could see at least thirty other kids staring at him, amused that someone was getting into trouble. "I was at student services. Here." Pit handed the teacher the note.

The woman read the note, nodded and then said, "Alright then. My name is Mrs. Goetz, and from now on you shall be on time."

"Of course."

"Take a seat in the back there." Mrs. Goetz pointed to the back of the room, and then turned back to the chalkboard. Pit started his way down aisle, defiantly meeting the stares of the kids who looked at him.

Every school has its bullies, of course, and this place was no exception. One student sitting in the middle of one of the aisles Pit was walking between had a shaved head with brown stubble, two pierced ears with silver rings through them, and a smirk that said that he didn't give a damn about anyone but himself. For whatever reason, he decided to make Pit's life harder today, so when Pit was walking through the aisle, he stuck his foot out and made Pit trip.

The kid had done this many times before, and perfected his skills so the kid he was tripping would wind up flat on their face. Pit, however, was trained for this, so instead of falling over he ducked into a somersault and rolled back up, continuing to walk as if nothing ever happened.

The other young angels in the class cheered, amused that this tardy student was a natural acrobat. Mrs. Goetz turned around and glared at the class, "What's going on here?"

"Pit can do somersaults!" One of the girls said. Mrs. Goetz looked at Pit, now sitting in a desk, who shrugged.

"Pit, leave the acrobatics until lunch, would you?"

Pit shrugged again, "Sure thing." The class laughed.

Mrs. Goetz frowned, but then turned back to the chalkboard and continued to explain the class rules and such. Pit tried to pay attention, but he was ever watchful, for the kid who had tripped him continued to watch Pit, angry that his prank hadn't worked.

XXXXXXXXX

Pit had expected to eat alone during lunch today, but instead found himself surrounded by a mob of his peers. Word had quickly got around on how he managed to roll in such a tight space, and everyone wanted to meet him.

"Where did you learn to do that?" A short boy with black hair named Dennis asked, sitting across from Pit.

Pit poked a straw through the thin layer of tin foil that covered his juice box, glad that he had received lunch today, "My parents taught me."

"Cool! So, what do they do?" Another boy, this one with messy brown hair named Avery, asked, sitting beside the first one who asked.

"They were generals in the army," Pit replied, starting to get annoyed with this line of questioning. Before anybody could ask why he said, 'were' instead of, 'are', Pit asked, "So, who was that loser who tripped me anyways? Jealous because I arrived fashionably late?"

The kids laughed, but seemed nervous. A girl named Grace with curly blonde hair sitting close by Pit replied, "His name is Dylan, and he's been a bully for years. He was alright before, but once his mother died a few years ago he became mean. He likes to fight people. You'd better watch yourself."

Pit shrugged, "I can handle it. He doesn't scare me."

"So I don't, do I?" Pit twisted around to see Dylan standing behind him, along with three other boys, "Well, would you like to prove it?"

"Fine," Pit replied, causing the other kids at the lunch table to gasp, "When and where?"

"Today after school, in the back alley at the edge of the school yard. Come, if you dare." Dylan motioned to the other boys, and the small gang left.

Pit shrugged, unconcerned, but the other kids were. "Don't you realize that Dylan wants to fight you?" Another girl, this one named Samantha with brown wavy hair said, "You'll be hurt."

Pit looked around at the kids sitting around him and said, "Has anyone ever stood up to Dylan? Put him in his place?"

The kids looked at one another, but no one said a word. Obviously, that meant a no. "So it's high time somebody did. Don't worry about me." Pit picked up his trash and threw it into the garbage, and he left the room to get ready for his next class. Among the clatter and yelling of the cafeteria, a group of eighth graders spoke among themselves, wondering how this was all going to end.

XXXXXXXXX

Many kids, after being challenged to a fight, would be nervous about it, having been safe and secure for so many years in their homes. Pit wasn't one of those kids. His parents had trained him to defend himself, he had fought with others older than himself, and despite Dylan having lost a parent, Pit had no sympathy for him and wouldn't hold back. Besides, he had lost both parents and wasn't a complete asshole.

"_Well, at least not yet,"_ Pit thought to himself as he scribbled down some notes for his science class, his last class of the day, _"But with Tavor's anger always around, it wouldn't be that big of a surprise if I became cold and cruel like the rest of them. But I won't. If my father survived living with them for so many years and didn't grow up to be evil, then I won't either. He'll be proud of me."_

When the bell rang, announcing the end of the day, Pit went back to his locker to put his books away. A small crowd of eighth graders was already there, and followed Pit as he made his way to the back of the school.

Pit was surprised to see Boris there, and even more shocked when Boris yanked him to the side, yelling at the other kids to go on ahead and that Pit would catch up. Once they were gone, Boris hissed at him, "What are you thinking, fighting Dylan? Don't you know anything? He got sent to juvie for stabbing a kid last year."

"So? I'm not scared of him. Besides, you father has already done enough to me." Pit pushed past his cousin and went outside, and Boris followed him.

"Pit, don't do this –"

Pit whirled around to face his cousin, "Why the fuck would you care about what happened to me?! You just stand by and let your bastard father hit me all of the time! Why would you care if I got beat up by some other kid? Huh? Tell me!"

Boris stopped in his tracks, his pudgy face turning red. He looked down and whispered, "Because then he leaves me alone. That's why."

Pit doubted that Tavor beat Boris as much as him, but it sure looked like Boris was serious. Pit sighed, "Look, Boris…" Pit placed a hand on his cousin's shoulder, "I won't get hurt. I've been through too much for some twelve-year-old's punches to hurt me."

Boris shook his head, "I know Dad's mean, Pit, but…I just want to let you know it isn't fair for Mom and Dad to take your money away. That's yours, not theirs."

Pit breathed a huge sigh of relief; maybe Boris wasn't so bad after all. "Boris, if you help me, I can help you. You've got to find out how Tavor is going to get my inheritance. I've got to stop him somehow!"

"Dad won't listen to me. He likes to talk with his fists more."

"And Kara?"

"…she's alright with you, I guess. She doesn't like Dad starving you, but she wants you to hand over the money."

"Mmm…" Pit was quiet, and then went outside, "Come on, cousin. I've got a fight to win. We can discuss this later."

XXXXXXXXX

At least fifty eighth graders had shown up to watch 'the new kid' take on the old school bully. Dylan grinned at Pit when he arrived with Boris, "Ready to rumble, Pretty Boy?"

"Sure thing." Pit stretched, raising his arms above his head, and he heard a few girls giggle as he did so. "Bring it on, bully."

Dylan stepped forward, fists clenched tightly at his sides. His shirt was dark blue and had some type of grease stain from fast food on it, and his jeans were ripped and torn. Dylan's sneakers were gray from age and covered with mud, the shoelaces dragging in the dirt. There was a scar above his left eye, in the shape of a crescent moon. He was also a good two inches taller than Pit.

Pit, on the other hand, was clean for once, and all of his clothes were without holes or stains – a gift from Kara, who didn't want anyone to know what happened after school, of course. His shirt was green, his jeans brand new, and his shoes green and white without a scratch on them. While Dylan was bigger and had quite a bit of muscle, Pit's muscles were well-toned and worked for endurance and strength, although they didn't look that powerful. To most people, it looked like Dylan would win, because he definitely looked like a fighter.

But truly, it's the heart and determination of the fighter, not their size and strength that counts.

Dylan approached Pit and aimed a punch at his face, aiming to break Pit's nose. Dylan couldn't help but be surprised when Pit not only stopped the punch, but grabbed Dylan's right arm and twisted it behind his back.

The kids cheered, Boris stared in shock, and Pit whispered to Dylan, "Give up?"

"No way!" Pit bent Dylan's arm a little more, and then released the older male. Dylan turned around, rubbing his sore limb, "You'll pay for that!"

"I probably will – if you can touch me." Pit smiled at Dylan, showing perfect teeth, taunting his opponent. Dylan lunged at Pit again, who simply stepped to the side and kicked Dylan in the back of his knees, knocking him flat on his stomach.

The young angels surrounding the two fighters were clapping and cheering, or shouting for Dylan to get up. Pit sat down on top of Dylan's back, effectively pinning the bully to the ground, "Do you surrender now?"

Dylan growled, "I…will…beat you!"

Pit shrugged, "Whatever you say." He stood up again, and Dylan scrambled to his feet, panting heavily out of anger. This time he launched a flurry of punches at Pit, but the younger angel simply used his palms or forearms to block every hit.

Boris couldn't believe it – Pit really could fight! He had barely done a thing to Dylan, yet the bully was tiring already. Nobody had ever done such a thing before.

After about ten minutes of rage-filled punches and kicks thrown at Pit, all uncoordinated and just a flurry of moves, Dylan backed off, sweat running down his neck and back. Pit sighed, crossed his arms and tapped his foot, pretending to be annoyed, "Are you done yet? I have a hair appointment in an hour." Pit ran his fingers through his thick brown hair, and added, "Always got to keep up my perfect appearance, since I'm such a 'pretty boy'." The kids laughed, no longer worried about Pit losing.

Dylan snarled, "Oh, really?" The kids gasped when Dylan slipped a pocket knife into his hand, opening up a two-inch blade, "You're not going to have any hair left when I'm done with you!"

Pit was only half-surprised, considering what the kids had said earlier. He pretended not to be worried in the slightest and simply motioned with his hand for Dylan to come closer.

Pit had been trained to fight when his opponent had a weapon and he didn't, but those were all carefully monitored training sessions. This time, it was for real, and nobody would save him if he was stabbed. Pit took a deep breath, counting on all of his training to pull him through this fight, and waited for the perfect moment. When Dylan thrust the blade forward, Pit stepped to the side, grabbed Dylan's arm and twisted it hard, making the older male let go of the blade. Pit kicked the knife off to the side, then let go of Dylan's arm and picked up the knife himself. Dylan scrambled back to his feet and stared in surprise at Pit holding the knife. "Good try, Dylan," Pit said calmly, putting the blade away, "But, as you can see, I've been trained to fight in almost every situation." He held the knife out and stared at it, pretending to be studying the pocket knife while actually looking at Dylan's face, "I think this will make a good prize, don't you?"

Dylan seemed to have given up now, realizing he was finally outmatched. "Whatever. Take it," Dylan grumbled, stomping away. His little gang looked at one another, and then slowly followed Dylan.

"Thanks! I'll mount it on my wall," Pit called after them, waving. The other kids cheered and crowded around Pit, congratulating him on the fight.

"I can't believe you dodged that!"

"You could have been killed!"

"Way to go, Pit!"

"Thanks, everyone," Pit said, smiling, "But really, it was nothing."

"You just kicked Dylan's butt and you call that nothing?! It was amazing!"

"You're a brilliant fighter!"

"Go Pit!"

"Hey Pit, wanna hang out later?"

"Alright, alright, I get it," Pit said, shaking his head, "But I gotta get going. Come on, Boris." Pit pushed his way through the crowd and started to walk back to school.

The crowd was dispersing, groups of kids chattering and discussing the fight, when a girl screamed and another girl called, "Pit, look out!"

Pit turned around just in time to see another boy with a knife thrust the blade at his chest. Pit hopped back and grabbed the boy's hands, stopping the attack. Then another started to run towards him with a longer blade, but Pit was too busy holding the other kid's hands back to defend himself.

Just when Pit thought it could all be over, the second boy went sprawling, and a younger male wrenched the knife from the kid's hands. "Coward!" The boy said, glaring at the male on the ground, "You can't even face Pit from the front!"

Pit lifted his knee and hit the male attacking him in the groin, knocking the boy to his knees. Pit grabbed the knife from the kid and hissed, "Try that again and you'll find this knife in your own chest." The kid looked up and nodded, terrified, and ran away. The second male followed him.

Pit went over to the kid who had tripped the second boy with a knife and said, "Hey, thanks pal. I would have been in trouble if it wasn't for you."

The boy looked slightly younger than Pit, and less muscular, but still fit. He had ruffled blonde hair, bright green eyes, and a look of shock on his face, as if he couldn't believe he had just attacked an armed kid and won. "Um…you're welcome." The boy's wings folded behind his back, and he blushed slightly, "My…my name is Lance."

"Cool. As you already know, I'm Pit." Pit held his hand out, "Thanks for saving me, Lance. I really do owe you one. You're very brave."

The other kids had gathered around now, talking about what had just happened, and Lance blushed even more, "I'm…I'm not that brave…"

"Sure you are! You were awesome out there."

"I…I just did…what I thought you'd do…" Lance gulped, "You're the brave one. Not me."

Pit shrugged, "I've had training, so it's nothing new. You do better with practice." Pit smiled at Lance, "Say what, classes do you have this semester?"

"Math, then computer sciences, then English, woodshop and science."

"Hey, we have practically the same classes! I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other." Pit looked back at Boris, and noticed that his cousin looked worried. He turned back to Lance, "Look, I gotta go, but…I'll see you around, ok?"

"Sure thing, Pit. Bye." The other kids waved at Pit as he walked over to Boris.

Pit gulped as he and Boris made their way to the front of the school to see Tavor's black car waiting out front, "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

"Not this time. I called Dad and said we'd be late because we needed help with something. He believed it." Boris motioned for Pit to hurry up, "But if he ever finds out you were in that fight, you'll be in another fight with him."

Pit frowned, looking at Boris, "Any way to avoid that?"

Boris looked back at Pit, "Give me your dessert tonight?"

"Done," Pit replied, the two almost at the car, "Let's get going. I've had enough for today."


	9. The Best and Worst So Far

The rest of the week was pretty uneventful. Pit did whatever his relatives asked of him, so he hadn't been beaten or starved. He had been doing alright in all of his classes, and there had been no more fights with anybody. If Pit could just survive the humiliation of the pictures, then he should be able to get away for a couple of days to the Smasher's Base.

Pit woke up early on Saturday morning, too nervous to stay asleep any longer. Dark clouds rumbled over his head through the skylight, promising a major storm later on. It was hard to tell exactly what time it was, but that didn't seem to matter to Pit's relatives.

The trapdoor opened, and Pit sat up, surprised to see his aunt up so early. "There's a sale going on downtown," Kara said as she placed a plate piled with food on the floor, "Boris and I will be gone all day."

Pit frowned, "Doesn't seem like a bad day to go shopping? Just look at the sky!"

Kara clucked her tongue, "Boys! Don't you get it? The rain will keep people away!" The trapdoor thumped down behind her as Kara descended the stairs, and Pit moved forward to eat whatever she brought up.

In general, Kara was much more generous when it came to food. While Tavor's plates were just barely enough to fill him up, Kara's were piled high with all kinds of food. Pit was just biting into another sausage when Tavor opened the trapdoor with such force that it actually startled Pit when it slammed onto the floor.

"Get up," Tavor growled, "There's someone I want you to meet."

Pit was about to ask if it was Vincent, but decided to keep his mouth shut so Tavor didn't know that Pit could hear him from the attic. He obediently followed his uncle down the stairs and into the living room.

To someone older, the man sitting in the living room would have best been described as a cliché-looking pimp, but since Pit was still a little too young to know such things he thought the man just had an odd fashion sense. The angel sitting on the couch was much tanned, so tanned that it looked fake. The clothes he was wearing were a mismatch of bright patterns and colors, with striped pants and shirt in blue and black, and hat that was pink and purple with polka dots. The tanned angel admiring his fingernails until Tavor led Pit into the room.

"Pit, this is Vincent. Go and say hello." Tavor shoved the younger angel, and Pit slowly walked forward.

Vincent watched Pit as he approached, scanning the young angel up and down. "He's real pretty, isn't he?" Vincent purred, taking Pit's hand, "You're a little cutie, aren't you?"

"Uh…yeah…hi…" Pit said, giving Vincent an odd look.

The tanned angel grinned, fluttering his heavily blue sparkled wings, glitter floating to the couch, "We're gonna have fun today, right?"

"What?" Pit asked, as Tavor pulled Pit back to his side.

"Listen here Pit," Tavor hissed, "Things have changed a little."

"Since when?" Pit whispered back, glancing behind him. Vincent was slowly undressing Pit with his eyes, and the young angel had no desire to stay with him for one second, let alone one day.

"Since last night. Vincent has _kindly_ -" Pit didn't like the emphasis on the last word, "offered to take both of us out today. He's got quite a bit of money, so don't fuck things up, ok?"

Well, if Tavor was coming, at least there was a good chance that Vincent wouldn't try anything funny. "Ok, and if I behave?"

"I will call the Smasher's Base tonight and you can go see them during the break."

"Break? Already?"

"Here it's only one week of school at the start, and then it's a week long break so they have time to sort things out. You can go then, if you do what I say."

"Alright."

"Good." Tavor looked back at Vincent, "Ready to go?"

"Sure thing," Vincent said, snapping his fingers as he stood up, "Let's roll!"

XXXXXXXXX

Vincent's car smelt strongly of smoke, and Pit could barely keep himself from coughing every few seconds. Neither Vincent nor Tavor seemed to notice the scent as they cruised around the city.

"Say, what about stopping in this here little café?" Vincent drawled as he pulled into a parking lot around noon, "Family friendly, ya know."

Pit hopped out of the car as soon as it rolled to a stop, glad to be out in the fresh air. Vincent coolly put a hand on his back to push him forward, and Pit shuddered under the touch. When Tavor placed a hand on him Pit could almost feel anger radiating off it, with the palms scarred and rough. With Vincent's, however, they were smooth and polished, and seemed to radiate an aura of lies and filth.

The food wasn't bad, but it all tasted like dust to Pit. He was battling an internal fight-or-flight response; he just couldn't shake this feeling that something very bad was going to happen. Pit slowly nibbled away at his BLT while Tavor and Vincent kept talking about some girl or another. Pit honestly didn't care.

Pit was lead back into the car and they drove around the city for another six hours. By now Pit was horribly bored, and the two older angels' conversation was extremely dull. He resigned himself to watching passerby and daydreaming about finally getting out of this mess. He was behaving himself, after all - and anybody would bear sitting in a car for ten hours being bored if it meant that they could get what they want, whether it be a motorcycle, a pony, or just being free.

XXXXXXXXX

Around six, Vincent drove into the more rundown areas of the city, but Pit had fallen asleep and didn't notice. Eventually Tavor shook his shoulder and woke him up, and dragged the young angel to the back of a building. Pit was yawning while Vincent knocked on the door, spoke to somebody inside, and then led the other two in.

Vincent led Pit and his uncle down a corridor and then into a large room. The room was lined with a giant counter, with little sections being split up by small walls. Mirrors hung from the back of every section, and the counters were piled with makeup and pieces of costumes. The stools in front of the counter seemed to either be knocked over or piled high with costumes, and in some cases both. Women in various states of dress and undress were rushing around the room, getting ready for some sort of performance.

Pit didn't quite understand what was going on, and Vincent's words only mystified him even more, "Hello ladies! Getting ready for another night?" Some of the girls giggled and waved; others glared at Vincent or just flat out ignored him.

Tavor tapped Pit on the shoulder, and once Pit turned around the older angel bent down and whispered, "Vincent and I are gonna be here for a bit, so you stay right here and don't leave this room. Got it?"

"Uh, ok…" Pit said, looking around, "How long?"

"Couple of hours. Now behave yourself." With that, Vincent and Tavor walked to the end of the room and went out another door.

Pit snorted; what exactly did Tavor expect him to do, start drawing on the walls with lipstick? The young angel sighed, knowing that he was going to be bored for another few hours, so he moved a nurse's outfit and a cowboy hat off of a stool and sat down on it.

"One of those guys your dad?" Pit looked up to see a woman in her late twenties dressed like a policewoman looking down at him.

"Nah. My uncle and some freak," Pit replied, resting his chin in his hands.

"An odd place to bring a child. How old are you, boy?" Another woman, dressed in a sequined gown, looked down at Pit with a hint of annoyance.

"Oh, don't be mean! He's just a little guy and probably doesn't understand what's going on here." A third woman dressed in a short plaid skirt and with her hair in pigtails kneeled down next to Pit. She was busy buttoning up a white cotton shirt, although Pit wondered why she wasn't buttoning any of the end ones. "What's your name?"

"I'm Pit, and I'm eleven," Pit said looking at the women around him. Why was he getting so much attention?

"See? He's too young to get it. Too bad his meanie uncle just dumped him off here." Pit now could see that the white shirt had a tag that said, 'School of Sexy' on it, with a name underneath. What in the heavens was going on here? "I'm June, by the way. The one in the gown is Valerie and the police-lady is Sasha. You're in our dressing room, if you're wondering."

"What are you guys doing?" Pit asked, looking around, "Some sort of play?"

Valerie clucked her tongue, "A play for older men, really. You're too young to understand."

"I kinda figured that much out already," Pit said, swinging his legs back and forth, "Any idea how long this takes?"

"The place closes at two. Your uncle should be ready to take you home by then, or, if he's too pissed-assed drunk, I can give you a ride." Sasha clipped a pair of handcuffs onto her belt, "Wish me luck for tips." She walked across the room, easily stepping over the obstacles of clothes and shoes and disappeared through the same door Pit's uncle and Vincent had gone through.

"I'm gonna be here for a while," Pit sighed, looking at the floor.

"Don't sweat it, Pit. Although if I were you, I'd stay backstage with us for the whole time your uncle is satisfying his cravings. Most of the men here respect the rules, but there's always some pervert who'll try to ask for extras, and there's sure to be a few interested in a sweet little boy all by himself. We girls will watch over you, though." Valerie turned on her heel and left the room.

June pulled up another stool and sat beside Pit, "It's a tough job, but the pay's good. I don't go onstage for a while, so how about chatting a bit?"

Pit nodded, "That'd be great. I like being interested in something for at least one minute a day."

XXXXXXXXX

Being backstage in this strange place was at least more exciting than being in the back of Vincent's car. A lot of girls who came in gave him an odd look at first, but once they realized he wasn't even in his teens they relaxed. He spoke to a lot of the women, but not one told him exactly what they were doing. It was fine with Pit; he was probably better off not knowing, anyways.

Around midnight, Tavor and Vincent came backstage to collect Pit. Vincent looked just as bright and creepy as before, but Tavor was already looking a little tipsy. "Let's go, Pit. We've got a few more stops to make," Tavor said, his words slurring slightly. Vincent took the young angel's arm and began to lead him out of the room.

"Bye Pit!" A few girls chorused; the talking and laughter in the back increased with those words.

Vincent laughed as he lead his two guests back to his car, "Looks like young Pit here will grow up to be a ladies' man. Had fun back there, Pit?"

Pit shrugged, "It was fine." He slipped into the backseat of the car and barely got on his seatbelt before they were moving again.

Once again Vincent drove around to the back of the building, but instead of being forced to wait backstage Pit was taken right up front, into a bar. There was no denying it; this was a bar, serving alcohol, and it certainly wasn't legal to bring an eleven-year-old in.

"Want anything, cutie?" Vincent asked Pit and he sat the young angel on one of the bar stools.

Pit shuddered as Vincent picked him up; the guy was basically using any excuse possible to touch him. "No thanks; I don't really want to try beer now."

Vincent laughed, "I didn't mean that cutie; they serve soft drinks here too."

"Oh…then I'll take a Coke, or something." The bartender nodded and slid a glass down to Pit, and the young angel was relieved that it actually was soda in the glass.

Once again, Pit was left to his own imagination while Tavor and Vincent moved around the bar, talking to other people and watching the pool and foosball games. Eventually, Pit started to notice something - while Tavor was drinking down one glass after another of beer, Vincent hadn't touched a drop.

About fifteen minutes later, Vincent hustled the two out of the place and back into the car. They went to another bar a few blocks away, and the process repeated itself once again. The same thing happened another two times, and by now Pit was more than a little concerned - Tavor was extremely drunk, and Vincent was still being a creeper.

Vincent seemed to notice Pit's nervousness, so when he pulled into the next parking lot he said, "Last bar of the night; I promise." He opened the car door for Pit, bowing and pretending to be a coachman, and then helped his drunken friend into the next place.

This bar was more packed than the last four bars, and there was no room at the counter. Pit was surprised that nobody had forced them to leave, with a minor in tow and all, but nobody had said a word. Vincent led the two to a booth, and after taking their orders he left to pick up their drinks. Tavor was almost ready to pass out, and his eyes were closing as he leaned against the back of the booth. Pit laid his head down on the table, tired from being up all night.

"Here you are, guys," Vincent said, placing three glasses on the table, "Beer for me and you, soda for the little one."

Pit sat up and mumbled a 'thanks', slowly sipping away at his drink. As time passed, however, Pit started to feel a little sick. His limbs felt heavy, and he couldn't seem to speak correctly, "Wha…what'z….goin…on?"

Vincent smiled, his teeth looking sharp through Pit's blurred vision, and the tanned angel leaned across the table and patted Pit on the head, "No harm done, cutie. You'll be ok." Vincent turned and waved at an employee, and when the man came over Vincent handed him a few fifty-dollar bills, "Take the man upstairs and leave him on the bed in a free room. Keep the change." The employee nodded, and without even asking about Pit he helped Tavor stand up and then led the extremely drunk angel away.

"T…Tavor! Wait!" Pit's speech was too slurred; he could barely raise his voice beyond a whisper. What was happening?

Vincent leaned over the table and gave Pit a crocodile smile, "It took me past one in the morning to finally get rid of him, but it was worth it. You're all mine now."

XXXXXXXXX

Pit beat against Vincent with his fists, but in his state there was nothing he could do. Vincent buckled Pit into the backseat of the car, gave his thigh a squeeze, and then got into the driver's seat. The young angel struggled to understand what exactly had occurred back at the last bar. Vincent must have put something in the soda that made him drowsy, but why?

Eventually Vincent pulled into the parking lot of a hotel, and despite Pit's efforts easily carried the young angel inside. To anybody watching, it looked like a father carrying a sleepy child, so the only person who said something simply asked, "Your kid tired himself out, huh?"

Vincent replied that indeed he had, and when Pit tried to say that he wasn't Vincent's kid he only managed to let out a tired, "Nooo…" The other man laughed, thinking that Pit was objecting to being exhausted and waved goodnight to the pair.

The older angel took Pit into the elevator, and they stopped on one of the upper floors. Vincent carried Pit down an empty hall, and into a hotel room. Pit couldn't pick out most of the details in his drowsy state, although he could tell the place was very fancy. All of the lights were off except for the bedroom, where a single bedside lamp was on. Vincent laid Pit on the king-sized bed and planted a kiss on his forehead, "I'll be right back, cutie." Vincent then walked away, whistling, only stopping to pick up a purple silk bathrobe hanging from the door.

Pit heard the shower start, and decided this was his chance to get away. It took every ounce of willpower he had to sit upright, and he slowly started to move towards the edge of the bed. While it seemed like that had only taken minutes, in truth it had been close to a half-hour. Vincent soon returned to the bedroom dressed in the robe, and he clucked his tongue when he saw Pit struggling to get away.

"You're such a naughty little boy, aren't you?" Vincent purred, moving Pit so that he was lying in the center of the bed, "Trying to leave too soon." He planted a few kisses along Pit's cheek and down to his throat, "Why leave? The fun's just starting!"

XXXXXXXXX

"No…" Pit whispered, but there was nothing he could do. Vincent continued to kiss Pit's forehead as he slipped his hands underneath Pit's shirt. The older angel massaged Pit's chest and rubbed his sides, enjoying the feel of the young angel's ribs. Pit twisted in an effort to get away, but that only made Vincent pinch him and whisper that he was being naughty again.

Pit felt himself being undressed like a rag doll, and Vincent quickly removed his shirt, shoes and socks. The older angel began unbuttoning Pit's pants, and Pit was starting to get really frightened until Vincent pulled back. He reached over for something on the side table, and then purred, "Hold that pose, cutie." He snapped a few pictures with a camera, and then tugged the waistband of Pit's jeans down a little more, "You look really pretty, you know."

Pit wasn't sure whether he should be more relaxed now or more terrified. Was Vincent only planning on taking photos, or would there be more to come? Vincent drummed his fingers down Pit's chest, and then resumed undressing the drugged pre-teen. After a couple more shots, Pit was left only in his boxers, and Vincent was almost drooling with anticipation.

Vincent rolled the younger angel onto his stomach, and whispered into Pit's ear, "Save the most private for last, eh?" Pit was still too drugged to protest, as whatever was going through his system was holding onto him tightly. The older angel began rolling down Pit's last bit of clothing, and the young angel growled with anger, furious that he couldn't defend himself. Vincent only exposed a small part of Pit's rear end at a time, pausing to take a few pictures and to caress the exposed skin.

Too soon, Vincent removed Pit's last bit of protection against the older angel, and now he was completely naked on his stomach. Vincent was straddling Pit; using one hand to rub between Pit's wings, while the other softly patted Pit's bottom. "Such a sweet little butt, huh?" Vincent whispered softly into Pit's ear, making Pit shudder, "And with these narrow hips, I bet you're _tight_…"

"_No, no, please no!"_ Pit thought, begging to any god or goddess that could hear him to protect him from this vile man.

"A cute little virgin angel, all mine…oh, yes…" Vincent breathed, sighing in pleasure, "Oh, yeah…"

"_Help me, somebody, anybody; help! Please!" _Pit was shaking now; he had never been so terrified in his life. Tavor had never gone this far with him, and now Vincent was going to. He was eleven; he wasn't ready for this!

Pit felt Vincent shift positions, so now he was sitting up, straddling Pit's legs. Out of the corner of his eye, the young angel saw a flutter of purple, meaning that Vincent removed his robe. His worst nightmare had come true.

Pit squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the pain that was sure to come as Vincent began spreading his legs even further. Being invaded hurt, right? Didn't sex hurt people at the start, even if the other was being careful? And if must be a lot worse if the other _wasn't_ being careful…

"_I don't care who it is right now; I hate everyone! I hate Palutena for sending me away, I hate my parents for dying, I hate my stupid fucking relatives for leaving me with this freak, I hate Vincent for being such a fucking pervert, I hate all of the kids at school for being normal, and I hate the Smashers for not being able to help me! But most of all, I hate Medusa! This is all her fault! She killed my parents, she had Palutena send me away…I hate her! Even if it takes me until the very end of time itself I will hunt Medusa down and I will kill her! I vow it!" _

While thinking that, Pit had forgotten exactly what was going to happen, and was surprised when he heard Vincent moaning in ecstasy, bouncing up and down on the bed. "Oh gods, yes, yes…" Pit opened his eyes, confused. Wasn't it supposed to hurt…like, a lot? Pit struggled up to his elbows and to turn around. To his surprise, Vincent was holding apart his rear end with one hand and had a clear shot at his entrance, but instead of invading Vincent was simply rubbing himself instead.

Pit felt a huge wave of relief wash over him - Vincent was sticking by Tavor's words and wasn't going to rape him. Sure, the creep had taken pictures of him, but at least it wasn't as dirty as actually being invaded. Vincent had his eyes closed, mumbling something softly, and continued to rub himself. Pit turned away from the scene and closed his eyes again, deciding that he didn't need to see Vincent's private areas any longer than he absolutely had to.

The young angel began to feel something warm drip onto his exposed lower back and rear end, but being so sleepy his mind couldn't comprehend what it exactly was. Eventually Vincent let out one long moan, there was a lot more warm stuff, and then Vincent reached underneath Pit and flipped the young angel over. Immediately Vincent's hand went between Pit's legs, and Pit instinctively tried to close his legs and protect himself. The older angel easily coaxed Pit's legs apart again, and then Vincent reached for the camera, snapping the first few shots of Pit facing up. Vincent then reached between Pit's legs and lifted his privates higher, taking a few more pictures.

Vincent dropped the camera to his side and focused solely on Pit, caressing and rubbing Pit's private areas, although not in a loving matter. Lovers usually only go for such intimate spots to try and make their lover aroused and trust them; to get ready for more action later on. Their touches are soft and gentle; not rough and demanding. Multiple times Vincent squeezed quite hard, and Pit gasped from the sudden wave of pain coming through his drugged state. The older angel nibbled the crook of Pit's neck, and then kissed all the way down to Pit's lower half.

Pit bit his lip as Vincent slipped both of his hands underneath Pit and squeezed his rear end while kissing Pit's stomach, right above his groin area. "I would absolutely _love_ to take you as my own," Vincent sighed while moving back to Pit's face, "But unfortunately, you're not mine to take."

Through his fog of confusion, Pit thought to himself, _"Am I going to be sold to someone else? Or is he just referring to Tavor not letting him rape me?"_

"Such a shame, too. What a beauty…so many would pay a high price for you," Vincent sighed again, kissing Pit's cheek, "I can't even have you give me a little attention with your mouth, or your uncle will have a hissy fit. So, I will finish this up now…" Vincent picked up the camera, snapped a final few shots, and then began to rub himself again.

Pit shut his eyes, still not wanting to see much more of Vincent's bareness. This time the warm stuff fell on his chest, sticky and with an odd scent. Vincent sighed one more time before pulling back the covers and placing Pit on the sheets. The older angel went right beside Pit and pulled the blankets over the two. Vincent pulled Pit close, with the younger angel's back against his bare front, and he whispered in Pit's ear, "Night, cutie."

"_Oh goddess, he's naked,"_ Pit thought, and he squirmed, trying to get away.

Vincent kissed his forehead and whispered, "Hush hush, we're done now. Get some rest." Pit muttered a couple of curse words in his drugged state, but Vincent didn't hear him. Pit sighed, knowing that he was lucky to get away still a virgin, and let sleep take him.

XXXXXXXXX

Pit's head was pounding when he woke up the next morning, around six. Moaning, he sat upright, holding a hand against his head like his brain was about to fall out. "Morning, cutie," a voice said, and Pit whirled around to see Vincent standing in the doorway, "Time to get dressed and collect your uncle."

"You…you…you fucking pervert! How dare you -" Pit was suddenly interrupted when Vincent slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Ah ah ah, no naughty words now. If you keep being naughty, I might have to spank you." Pit growled, but stayed silent once Vincent removed his hand. "There's a good boy. Your clothes are in the bathroom; go clean yourself up."

Pit glared at Vincent as he got out of bed; the older angel was definitely staring at his lower regions. Pit moved quickly past Vincent, but that didn't stop the older angel from giving him a smack on his behind.

XXXXXXXXX

Pit sat in the back of Vincent's car as the older angel drove back to the bar, absolutely furious. He was forced to wait there as Vincent went to collect Tavor, and was surprised to see Tavor pissed off as well when the two returned.

"You _took_ Pit to your own bed? I did _not_ give permission to do that! If I find out that you've violated him, I'll -"

"Hey now, I did no such thing! Not even oral. Just a little touching and pictures. Perfectly clean."

"_Perfectly clean, my foot,"_ Pit thought, glaring at the two older angels.

"Whatever. Just get us home. I have a killer hangover," Tavor snarled, leaning against the window.

Vincent chuckled as he started the car, "You need to get out more and build up your tolerance."

The ride back was quiet this time, with Pit glaring in silent anger, Tavor too busy nursing his headache and Vincent thinking more about the naked young angel in his bed last night than making some sort of conversation. As soon as Vincent drove away, Tavor turned Pit around to face him even before they set foot inside the house. "Did he rape you, Pit?" Tavor asked, looking down at the young angel.

Pit was quiet for a moment, debating over whether or not he should lie. If he said he had been raped, perhaps Tavor would take a bit more pity on him, and leave him alone. On the other hand, Tavor didn't trust him very much, so would he believe it? Pit looked up in Tavor's eyes, and saw no pity in them. The young angel inwardly sighed; Tavor was only asking because to him it would be considered property damage; not because Tavor cared about him as a person. "No, he just molested me," Pit replied with vicious sarcasm, walking past Tavor into the house.

"Good," Tavor said, and Pit noticed a hint of relief in his voice. He cursed his uncle under his breath.

Pit was about to head back to his attic prison when Tavor stopped him, "Hold on, Pit. You behaved perfectly, just as I asked. So I will call the Base and tell them they can come get you this afternoon."

Pit's heart was pounding, and he turned around. "Really?" Pit asked, barely able to keep the excitement out of his voice. He was half expecting Tavor to start laughing and say, 'Fooled you! You're not going anywhere!', but he didn't.

"Go get your stuff together and bring it down here," Tavor said, moving towards the kitchen. Pit waited until he was out of sight before silently jumping up and down in happiness.

XXXXXXXXX

Boris had insisted on waiting outside with Pit so he could catch another glimpse of one of the Smashers up close. Pit sat on the doorstep with his backpack at his side, simply waiting, while Boris ran from one end of the yard to the other, attempting to see the Smasher first.

"It's not fair! Why do you get to go and I don't?" Boris pouted, crossing his arms.

Pit shrugged, "It was just luck that I met Link and Mario. I don't know why they like me so much."

"Hmph…still not fair…" Boris looked back and forth, "Where's your ride anyways? I don't see a car anywhere…"

Pit rolled his eyes, amazed at how obsessed Boris was. Then Pit thought he heard a slight humming noise, as though an appliance was running right next to his head. "Do you hear that?" Pit asked, and Boris nodded.

The noise became louder, and all of a sudden a strange blue and white spacecraft came to a stop right in front of the house, and slowly began to descend. Boris could barely contain his excitement, "It's an Arwing! You're leaving in style, Pit!"

Pit got to his feet just as the cover to the cockpit of the Arwing opened up, and the pilot of the ship leaped out and landed quietly on the ground. Fox strode over to the two young angels and nodded at Pit, "Ready to go?"

Boris jumped in before Pit could say a word, "You look really young up close!"

Fox let out a small laugh, "I'm only twenty, you know. I suppose I'm still entitled to some youth."

After signing an autograph for Boris, Fox helped Pit into the Arwing. "I know it's crammed back there, but you'll only be there for a minute," Fox said as he prepared the Arwing for takeoff.

"I thought it would take longer than a minute to get back to the Base," Pit replied, trying to get comfortable in the tight space.

"It will, but I don't think your relatives would appreciate my idea on how to make the trip more pleasant for you." Fox started up the Arwing before Pit could respond, and within seconds the two were a good hundred feet off the ground.

After climbing a bit higher, Fox leveled out the Arwing and turned to face Pit, "Have you ever been wing-riding before?"

"Wing-riding? What's that?" Pit asked.

"It's self-explanatory really; instead of sitting inside of a craft, you hang out on the wing instead. It's fun, but kind of scary, considering the only thing keeping you on is your own strength. Want to give it a try?"

"Hell yes! I'd love to!"

Fox nodded, and slowed the Arwing down as much as he could while still keeping the same altitude. He pushed open the cover and turned back to Pit, "There you go! Be careful, although if you do fall off I should be able to catch you. But let's not test that theory if possible, alright?"

"Ok!" Pit stood up, the cold air at this height making him shiver. He grabbed the side of the Arwing and pulled himself up and over, rolling onto the wing. Fox lowered the cover again while Pit kneeled on the wing. He looked back towards Fox, and the pilot gave him a smile before slowly increasing the Arwing's speed. The wind was so fast and cold that it made Pit shiver and his eyes sting, but it was so much fun. Despite the possibility of being flung off and falling to a probable death at any moment, Pit wasn't afraid at all. Up so high, free from all of the problems back home, Pit was a lot happier than he had been in a long time.

XXXXXXXXX

"I don't know whether I should thank you for picking up the angel or smack you for letting him ride on the wing," Master Hand said, shaking his pointer finger at Fox, "Pit could have been hurt!"

"Well, he has wings, so he can fly, right? Besides, I would have caught him before he fell," Fox replied, crossing his arms.

Pit wasn't paying too much attention to their conversation; he was too busy looking around. Fox had landed the Arwing right in front of the Base, where Master Hand was waiting to scold the pilot for being reckless. None of the others were outside, but Pit was sure he saw a few pairs of eyes from between the curtains.

"Well jeez, fine, I won't let him wing-ride again, if that makes you happy," Fox sighed, giving up on winning the argument, "But he was a natural."

"I don't care about that! What I care about is that we send Pit home in one piece!"

"I was fine on the wing, Master Hand," Pit spoke up, drawing the attention of both hand and fox to him, "I wasn't scared at all; honest."

Master Hand was quiet for a moment, and then sighed, "Oh, fine then. It would do no good to take the adventure out of you anyways. I'll go tell the others you're here, now."

"You don't have to!" Pikachu cried out while slamming open the front door and running down towards them. "Hey! I'm Pikachu!" the Pokémon shouted while leaping into Pit's arms.

Pit was surprised that Pikachu had jumped right at him, so he barely caught the Pokémon without falling over or dropping him, "Hey Pikachu; nice to meet you."

"And you already know me," Mario said, coming up behind Pikachu, "It's a-me, Mario!"

"And I'm his brother, Luigi!" The twin plumbers both shook Pit's free hand, the other still holding onto Pikachu.

"Nice to see you, Pit," Link said, slapping the angel a high-five, "And the puffball holding onto me is Jigglypuff."

Jigglypuff pulled herself up so she was able to see over Link's shoulder, "Hello!"

Donkey Kong was next, and despite being so large his hand shake was gentle. "Link, Mario and Pikachu have been talking about you a lot. It's cool to finally meet you."

"Yeah!" Yoshi said, moving in so he could see Pit better, "Hey there!"

Pit frowned, "I'm sorry for bringing this up, but…I thought Yoshis couldn't talk. Or Pokémon, for that matter," Pit looked down at Pikachu while he said that.

Pikachu laughed, "We can 'cause we're special. In most cases, though, you're right. Here comes the rest of us now."

"I'm Samus," the bounty hunter said while taking off her helmet so Pit would be able to see her face, "And the racer next to me is Captain Falcon."

"You look tough, kid. Are you going to be joining us in a couple of fights?" Captain Falcon asked while roughly shaking Pit's hand.

"In fights? In the arena? I dunno…" Pit replied, shaking his hand afterwards in an attempt to get some feeling back.

"It's perfectly safe! You can't get hurt, and it's easy to learn!"

"Let's not rush things, Falcon," Master Hand said softly, "Give Pit time to settle. Where's Kirby and Ness?"

"They were right behind us…" Samus said while turning around, "Kirby? Ness?"

**Wham!** Everybody instinctively jumped back as a giant rock landed right in the middle of the group. Kirby popped out of his rock form and then did his well-known, "Hiiii!" taunt.

"Kirby, that wasn't funny!" Samus snapped as the puffball burst out laughing.

"Are you kidding? You guys were so shocked, it was great!" Kirby sat up, still giggling to himself, "Hey Pit! Did you like my entrance?"

"You certainly scared me, that's for certain," Pit replied.

"Ah, fun times. Where's Ness?" Kirby asked, looking around.

"Right here!" a voice called out, just as a flash of fire lit up right at Kirby's feet. The puffball leaped back with a small yelp, and then turned around and stuck out his tongue at the approaching Smasher.

Ness moved closer to Pit and grabbed his hand, "Hey Pit, I'm Ness! Glad to have you here!"

"Believe me, I'm glad to be here," Pit replied, recent events still on his mind.

"Well, now that you're all acquainted, let's go inside. There's plenty to show Pit, and there's still a few hours before dinner," Master Hand said, grabbing Pit's backpack.

Pikachu leaped out of Pit's arms while Ness grabbed the angel's hand. All of the Smashers came inside to show Pit around, except for Fox, who got back into his Arwing to fly it to the hangar.

Just going up the stairs with the pack of Smashers, Pit noticed three things - first off, there were always about ten conversations going on at once, second, none of them really made any sense, and third, everybody continually teased or mocked each another, but it was all done in a friendly matter.

"_This is going to be interesting," _Pit thought to himself as he was led inside.


	10. Smasher Sanctuary

"Are you hungry? We've got tons of great food around here," Yoshi asked, helping Ness drag Pit inside.

"Well yeah, a little," Pit replied, still trying to pick up on everyone's conversations. There was just so much going Pit could barely tell when someone was speaking to him.

Jigglypuff dashed off into what Pit assumed was the kitchen, returning with a plastic container filled with chocolate chip cookies. The other Smashers praised Jigglypuff's choice of snack, with everyone taking several treats. Master Hand didn't even stop them; he simply shrugged and muttered something about their health before floating off somewhere else.

"Ok, I say we get Pit settled and then drag him off to the arena," Captain Falcon suggested with a cookie in each hand.

"We can do a two-on-one battle to start out with Pit, and then go for teams or singles," DK added.

"You guys go get everything ready. I'll show Pit upstairs," Fox said, coming up to join the group. The others agreed and scattered off down a hallway while Fox motioned for the angel to follow him.

"Have we driven you crazy yet?" Fox asked, laughing at Pit's expression while they walked up a flight of stairs.

"Yes! I can never tell what the heck is going on! Is it always like this?" Pit asked, shifting his backpack.

Fox slipped the backpack off of Pit's shoulder to carry it himself; the angel was relieved because his shoulder was still a bit sore. "Basically, yes, but you get used to it. At first, we were all kinda quiet and only stuck with who we knew or ourselves, but after a few battles we all warmed up and are now really close. You'll fit in in no time, I promise." Fox had led Pit to the third floor, down a hallway and then unlocked one of the doors at the end, "All of our bedrooms are in this hallway, with plenty of room for more fighters to join us as they come. This will be your room for now."

The pilot handed the card key to Pit and swung the door open, placing Pit's backpack beside the door. The young angel walked into the room and could scarcely believe his eyes.

The room was something out of a five-star hotel. The walls were a cornflower blue and the floor was hardwood covered with a soft silver carpet. Two huge glass windows were opposite of Pit; in between was a queen-sized bed. The bedding was silver as well, with a blue bow and arrow design in the center of the duvet and three blue throw pillows set against two larger silver ones. Underneath both windows were two white chests of drawers with glass crystal knobs with a silver and white lamp on both sides. A silver digital clock on the left side with blue glowing numbers said the time was three-fifteen. In the corner closest to Pit on his right was a soft silver chair with a blue blanket on it, next to an empty bookshelf. At the top very top of the room a long white shelf ran around the whole room; it was only about twelve inches or so from the ceiling and Fox said most fighters used it to store awards and trophies. On the right side of the room was a white sliding door with a mirror which Pit assumed was a closet; a regular white door on the left was the bathroom, according to Fox.

The bathroom was also very fancy, done in cobalt blue and white. There was a Jacuzzi tub and a shower with bubble glass, and plenty of space to store personal products. Already somebody had set out a complete spa set of ocean-scented products beside a pile of fluffy white towels. Pit turned to Fox with a look of disbelief, "Does everyone have a room this fancy?"

"We sure do! There's a lot of empty space in here, as you can see, for the rooms are meant to be designed so everyone can personalize their space. Do you like it?"

"I love it! It's just…wow…" Pit went back into the bedroom and looked back and forth, "How can Master Hand afford all of this?"

Fox shrugged, "Dunno. We Smashers kind of guessed that he either got rich in the stock market or is secretly running a betting ring on us. We honestly don't know."

"Does he pay you guys anything?"

"Kind of. He gives each of us a spending allowance and will send money back home to make up for us being here, if needed."

"How much do you guys get?"

"A hundred or so a week. Depends on what we want and how well we've behaved. We don't take the money every week either - just when we need it." Fox went to the door leading to the hallway and asked over his shoulder, "Ready to start fighting?"

"Sure," Pit replied, following the pilot down the stairs. _"Man, I wish I could live here. I wonder what the requirements are for getting in…"_

XXXXXXXXX

The arena waiting room was done in a bright green with a white-tiled floor. Right across from the double-door entrance was a giant window looking into the arena so the other Smashers could watch. A small seat of bleachers with twelve seats, six seats to a row, was set in front of the window; currently ten seats were occupied. To the right were the girl's change room and the control center for the stages, items and other settings; to the left the boy's change room and the hallway leading to the entrance for the arena.

A battle was going on; Kirby jumped up with his Final Cutter, slashing Mario and bringing him down to the ground. Mario jumped back, grabbing a Bob-omb that had fallen down behind him and throwing it at the pink puffball. Kirby was quick enough and rolled away, but Ness wasn't so lucky and got blasted off stage.

This first battle was just to allow Pit to see all of the items and how they were used. It was a four-man free for all, almost done, for Kirby and Mario were now the only two fighters left.

Whether it was pure luck or simply Kirby didn't notice, a motion-sensor bomb was right behind Kirby's foot - a tiny step back and he was sent flying. "GAME!" The intercom blared out, "AND THIS GAME'S WINNER IS…MARIO!"

"Blah! He lucked out!" Kirby said while walking into the waiting room, pouting, "If that bomb wasn't there I would've creamed him!"

"Yeah right, Kirby!" Mario came in behind the puffball, smiling, "But you can keep telling yourself that if you'd like."

Kirby turned around with a sweet little smile before quickly inhaling Mario and walking away, very slowly due to the excess weight and being about three times his normal size. Instead of being helpful, the other fighters just laughed. At the same time, Master Hand came floating in. "Alright Kirby," Master Hand said, blocking the exit, "Spit them out."

"Whum?" Kirby replied. A bunch of muffled noises came from Kirby's cheeks.

"Kirby, it's obvious you've got someone in there. Spit them out."

Kirby rolled his eyes, but spat Mario out, slamming the plumber into the wall by the door.

While Mario rubbed his head, Master Hand poked Kirby's side and said, "What did I say about eating other fighters?"

"Only in the arena, yeah yeah yeah. Otherwise they get sent to another dimension and have to be rescued," Kirby replied.

"Don't you forget that," Master Hand finished, sighing a little. He then turned to Pit, "Ready to give it a try?"

"Sure," Pit said, shrugging, "I think I've got the idea."

"I call first dibs on Pit," Pikachu shouted, jumping onto the angel's back, "Who wants to challenge us?"

"I'll do it," Captain Falcon said, slapping Pit lightly on the shoulder, "You alright with that?"

"I'm not sure how well I'll do…but I certainly will try my hardest!" Pit replied.

"That's the spirit! Now, Link mentioned you were quite skilled with bows and arrows as well as a bit of swordplay, right?" Master Hand gave Pit a thumbs-up when the angel nodded, "Good! Then these are for you." The hand held out a small bow with an empty quiver and a beam sword, "I know the beam sword is already an item, but I didn't really know what else to do…"

"Don't worry about it," Pit said, taking the weapons from the hand, "I'm sure it'll be fine. But what about arrows?"

"The quiver will automatically become full in the arena and you'll never run out of shots," Master Hand replied, "So fire all you like."

"Well, if I had known that I would have brought my own bow!" Link said, glaring at Master Hand, "You were the one who told me I couldn't use it as one of my regular attacks because I would run out of shots, so what gives?"

"To be honest, this is a test run, more or less. Hopefully this will allow more fighters to have more moves, as well as bring in more Smashers in general. I'm hoping to expand and get at least twenty-five fighters and about thirty stages in the future."

All of the Smashers began talking at once, bombarding the hand with questions.

"More than doubling us? Who are you gonna get?"

"What kinda stages you thinking of?"

"Will there be more items?"

"When will this happen?"

"Everyone, shush!" Master Hand had to shout to be heard over the other voices. With everyone quiet, he continued, "Honestly, I'm not sure. It takes a long time to design and create the stages, test the items, and of course securing the transportation and care of all the fighters. It could take years before I could start up another tournament."

The Smashers looked kind of sad, quiet for a few moments before Luigi spoke up, "Any way to make it happen faster?"

Master Hand thought for a moment, and then wiggled his fingers, "Well…I do have a brother -"

"A brother?" Jigglypuff called out, "You never said anything about a brother!"

"What's he like?" Samus asked.

"Can't you bring him in for show-and-tell?" Pikachu added.

"Agh, you guys never stop talking, do you?" Master Hand said before the interrogation could begin again. A chorus of "No"s came as a response. "Look, I'll tell everyone at dinner, alright? Now how about finally getting Pit into the arena?"

"Yeah! Let's go, Pit - we'll be the blue team!" Pikachu hopped off of Pit and ran into the boy's change room. The electric mouse came out a second later wearing a blue pointed party hat and then stopped in his tracks, "Wait, what about Pit?"

"Oh, let's see…" Master Hand floated into the control room and to the storage closet, looking for something that the angel could wear, "Hmm…well, there are these glasses…"

"Never mind! Take this!" Mario handed over his trademark hat, but in blue to Pit, "It's the right color and it should fit. Try it out!" Pit put the hat on and then thanked Mario.

"Perfect! Let's roll!" Pikachu cheered, grabbed the angel's arm and began dragging Pit down the hallway that led to the arena's entrance.

The corridor was dark, save for strips of green lights flashing along the bottom on the walls. An automatic door opened on the other side, leading into a small circular room, also bordered with green lights.

"What's this?" Pit asked.

"Teleporter," Pikachu answered, "It'll take us into the arena."

"Ok…one other thing - why the colors? Is it really necessary? I mean, shouldn't you know who your partner is?"

"Oh, of course we do! The color-coding is just so viewers can follow the fight better."

That made Pit's heart skip a beat, "V…v-viewers? Are they going to be watching us?"

Pikachu shrugged, "Well, to be honest most of the fights aren't performed live. We do them at random, and then Master Hand edits the tapes and airs the show. Every so often we do a live show, in which every little detail is planned by Master Hand, to please the crowd - but we prefer to do it our own way."

"So this fight will be taped, but not aired, right?" Pit relaxed greatly at the thought.

"Well, that depends on how well you do," Pikachu replied with a wink.

Pit was about to ask what the Pokémon meant by that when Captain Falcon walked in, dressed in a similar outfit from before, but green instead of purple. "Ready to go?" Captain Falcon asked.

"Yep! What stage will we be fighting on?" Pikachu asked.

"Congo Jungle. Not much happens there, except for the barrel, of course," Falcon replied.

"That sounds good. Ready Pit?" Pikachu asked, adjusting his party hat.

"I guess so," Pit replied, shrugging.

XXXXXXXXX

A Falcon Punch sent Pikachu flying off of the edge, and Captain Falcon turned around to aim at Pit. The young angel quickly shot three arrows at Captain Falcon, hitting the racer every time.

"Pit was able to pick up this very quickly, wasn't he, Master Hand?" Link asked, glancing over at the floating limb.

Master Hand tapped his fingers against the ground, "He's very good, especially for someone so young. He'll probably become a very powerful fighter once he's older…"

"Oh come on Master Hand; you know what I'm trying to say here. Don't you think we could bring him in?"

Master Hand sighed and turned to the Hylian, "Look Link; right now I cannot bring anyone else into the tournament..." The hand quickly continued once he noticed Link's face turn into a frown, "However, it may be possible to bring him in for the next one."

"You mean it?" Mario asked, running over to the hand.

Master Hand turned upside down and gave his imitation of a shrug before flipping right-side up again, "It's not like we don't already have young fighters, but there's the problem of getting Pit's own equipment and gaining permission for him to be here. And before someone suggests it," Master Hand called out to the Smashers behind him, "Kidnapping is _not_ an option!"

"Psh, you're no fun," Yoshi replied, tapping his foot.

"How about ransom?" Jigglypuff asked.

"No, no! Nothing illegal here! If he was eighteen, _then_ we could kidnap him. But until then…" Master Hand looked back at the fight, where Pit rolled out of Captain Falcon's reach, allowing for Pikachu to slam into the racer with Quick Attack, "We'll have to get his relatives' permission first."

The Smashers all exchanged glances. Link and Mario had told them all about the Greystones and how unfriendly they seemed, especially towards their young nephew. "Is it really necessary? Isn't there any possible way around that?" Samus asked, twisting the end of her blonde ponytail.

Master Hand was quiet for a moment before heading towards the exit, "Maybe. I'll take a look." The Hand floated out of the room while the Smashers returned their attention back to the fight.

XXXXXXXXX

"Nice, Pit! Only three lives lost in a five-stock match, with two KO's to claim for yourself!" DK slapped Pit a high-five as the three fighters came out of the arena.

"That was a lot more fun than I thought it would be," Pit said, sitting down on the edge of the bleachers, "Who knew throwing a bomb into a friend's face could be so entertaining?"

"Since we don't get hurt, it's lots of fun! Aren't you glad you came?" Ness asked, sitting right above Pit.

"I am," Pit replied, "So…what now?"

"More fighting?" suggested Jigglypuff.

"Alright! We'll give you a break this round Pit, but in the next one we'll do two-on-two. Want to be my partner, Fox?" Kirby asked, looking at the pilot.

Fox nodded, "What color?"

"Red?"

"Fine by me. Who wants to take us on?"

"Luigi and I will," Samus said, stepping forward, "And we'll be green."

"What stage?" Pikachu called from the control center.

"Dream Land," Luigi called, heading to the teleporter.

Pit settled back in his seat with the other fighters, ready to watch the show.

XXXXXXXXX

They fought different battles all afternoon, and by the end Pit was going in free-for-all battles against three others fighters. He managed to win one of them (although Pit credited it more to luck than anything else) but had a lot of fun trying anyways.

Master Hand's voice came over the intercom at seven-thirty, "Dinner's ready! Come help yourselves!"

They waited until the last battle was decided before heading down to the dining room. A long table was set in the middle of the room, piled high with all sorts of food. Fourteen empty chairs sat around it, with cutlery and dishes already set out.

"Sit wherever you like," Link told Pit as they walked in, "We always change seats." The young angel ended up between Link and Pikachu near the center of the table. He was surprised at the amount of food on the table - three different salads, two kinds of bread, fruit platters, hams - and normally for only twelve people!

"Well, we do eat a lot, and anybody can go ahead and eat the leftovers later," Yoshi answered when Pit asked about it, "It saves Master Hand the trouble of cooking meals some days as well."

"How much does Master Hand _do_ around here?" Pit asked.

Mario replied while taking another slice of bread, "Nearly everything. Meals, fight organization, cleaning, taxes - he runs the whole place. Of course we'll help out whenever he asks and we clean up our own messes, but Master Hand almost does it all."

"Currently with only twelve of us, it's fairly simple, but if Master Hand wants to expand…" Donkey Kong paused to finish swallowing, "He's going to need more help."

"And that's the idea behind - hey Master Hand, what about your brother?" Pikachu called out, looking behind him, "You were going to tell us about him, right?"

"Right, I promised, didn't I?" Master Hand said, floating in. The Smashers nodded, so the hand continued, "Well, he's crazy, but his heart is in the right place. He's also a left hand, just in case you couldn't guess."

"Name?" Luigi asked.

"Crazy Hand."

"Figures," Captain Falcon said, finishing off his second plate of food.

"He's been bothering me for some time because he wants to help out here. So far I haven't really needed his help, but with a looming expansion on the way I'd appreciate another hand, no pun intended. Besides, a final boss fight with the two of us could prove both interesting and challenging. We're very strong together."

"Will you always fight together from now on, then?" Fox asked.

"No, I was thinking only if you try Classic mode on Hard or above will you face the two of us. Otherwise it'll be just me."

"Sounds fair," Samus replied.

"Oh, and one other thing before I go," Master Hand said, stopping before floating back into the kitchen, "With this expansion, I figure the best way to recruit more fighters is to get you guys to do a bit."

"Us? Really?" Jigglypuff asked.

Master Hand gave the group a thumbs-up, "Surly you guys must have a friend or two that would be excited to join. Just by that we'd double our lineup. Of course I'll go searching myself, but give it some thought, ok?" The Smashers nodded as Master Hand left. Then the conversation changed from ten different topics to a single one - an interesting change.

"Perhaps Princess Peach would be interested," Mario said, eyes looking up in thought.

"I would think Bowser would be more into fighting you, especially if a win gets broadcasted across multiple galaxies," Luigi replied.

"Who do you think you'll get to come, Fox?" Jigglypuff asked.

The pilot swallowed another mouthful before replying, "Falco, probably. He does love getting into fights more than I do. We could be a pretty good team together. You?"

"My friend Pichu, I suppose," Jigglypuff replied.

"I'd go with Mewtwo. He's strong," Pikachu added.

Pit managed to recognize a few names, but there was a bigger question on his mind, "What exactly are the requirements to get in here?" Pit asked.

Everyone stopped talking, looked at Pit, then one another, and all gained confused expressions. "Honestly, I don't know. Master Hand kinda called us up one day and asked if we'd be interested in a different kind of fighting tournament," Captain Falcon replied.

"Well, we all are unusually strong…" Donkey Kong added.

"And most of us saved our home world," Yoshi put in.

"Not me," said Pikachu.

"Aren't you the mascot of your home world?" Fox asked the yellow Pokémon.

Pikachu shrugged, "Yeah, me and Jigglypuff are more or less the spokes-Pokémon of our world. I guess that's why we're here."

"That and we both can talk," Jigglypuff added.

"I think it's a combination of multiple things - strength, fame, super powers - it's hard to pinpoint what the exact reason is," Samus said.

"There is a reason," Master Hand said, floating into the room, "You're all unique. That's what makes you special. How you are each unique is different and that's what makes these fights so exciting to watch. And of course our rules are different from usual fighting tournaments, with ring outs instead of simply lowering health."

"So in theory, anybody could get in here?" Pit asked.

Master Hand wiggled his fingers, "Not just anybody - they have to have something pretty special to be invited. You could, eventually. You're a really good fighter for someone of your age, plus you can fly."

Pit ducked his head, looking at his wings, "Well, not for very long. And everyone in my home world has wings too."

Samus looked at Pit and said, "I didn't see many angels flying when we were there."

"Well, most don't like it because it takes a lot of energy. We've gotten lazy," Pit replied, shrugging.

Pikachu laughed, "Yours and every other planet!"

"So does this mean Pit can join in for the next tournament?" Link asked, looking up hopefully at Master Hand. The other Smashers added their own silent pleas.

Master Hand sighed, "I don't know. Do you want Pit in because he's a good fighter, you like him for who he is or because you guys want more people to fight against?"

"All three!" Ness shouted. The others quickly agreed.

"You guys have only known me for one afternoon! How can you tell so fast?" Pit asked.

"Intuition maybe? I don't really know how, but I know I like you!" Jigglypuff said, reaching across Pikachu to tap Pit's wings.

"Please, Master Hand? Please?" Everyone started to ask, only allowing a slight hint of begging into their tones.

Master Hand showed his palm to the group, fingers straight, and they fell silent. Master Hand then said, "The next tournament won't occur for another year at least. We'll see when I start signing new people up, ok? But for now we have to let this drop, and has anybody even asked Pit whether or not he wants to join?"

The Smashers looked at each, and then back at Master Hand other shrugging or smiling sheepishly. Master Hand sighed, "Of course not; you guys just love abducting new friends, don't you?"

"Honestly Master Hand, I'd love to join, if I could," Pit said, finally looking up, "I've only spent an afternoon here so far, but I already love it."

"See? He just has to join!" Link said.

"Enough, all of you. Why don't you guys play outside while I run some more tests in the arena? And don't forget to put your dishes away!" Master Hand floated out of the room again, while the Smashers quickly finished eating and tidied up.

"This way, Pit," Luigi said after they were done cleaning up, grabbing the angel's hand and leading him outside.

XXXXXXXXX

Fox walked along the perimeter of the tall metal playground structure. The other twelve fighters were hanging around various points of the structure, teasing the pilot by holding out a foot or hand for Fox to attempt to grab.

Captain Falcon narrowly missed being tagged by Fox, and finally the pilot got annoyed of staying at the bottom and began climbing up the side of the structure with eyes shut.

Luigi almost put a foot on the ground just as Fox called out, "Grounders!".

"You keep getting so close, but just barely miss people!" Samus shouted from where she was hanging off a slide, now out of her power suit.

Fox shrugged with his eyes still closed, attempting to tag someone, "I'll get someone eventually."

Pikachu had scrunched himself in a corner with no escape from Fox except down a short slide. Fox was sweeping the area, trying to find someone, and with no choice left Pikachu slid down. The Pokémon had intended to stop himself before hitting the ground, but with the slippery plastic slide he failed to do so and landed on the sand below.

"Grounders!" Fox called out, hearing the puff of sand.

"Damn it! My turn to be it then, I guess," Pikachu said, brushing sand off.

The game of Grounders was about to continue until Jigglypuff, who had been sitting on top of the monkey bars pointed somewhere off in the distance, "Hey guys, what's that?"

Everyone else turned to look. In the dimming twilight a brighter light was beginning to appear a few miles away in one of the forests surrounding the Smasher's Base.

"Not sure. Shall we go check?" Captain Falcon asked, jumping off of the top of the swing set.

"It's getting dark, though. Won't Master Hand be worried if we leave?" Pit replied, looking back at the Base.

"Oh, I'm sure it'll be fine as long as we all stick together. Let's go!" Mario ran towards the light, the others following.

XXXXXXXXX

It took a good fifteen minutes to make it to the edge of the forest. The sun was just shining its last rays over the land, casting long shadows and providing the last strong light to see by until morning. The group stopped running and instead began to creep quietly into the forest, making sure that at least one other Smasher was within a few meters.

Pit stayed close beside Fox and Samus, but wasn't that worried. He had a fair amount of experience in battle and there were others close by. Together they made their way through the forest, coming across a small clearing with a campfire in the center - the cause of the light Jigglypuff had seen.

"Someone made this, but I don't see anyone," Donkey Kong said, scanning the darkness.

"They could come back at any time. Let's wait a few minutes quietly and see what happens," Samus whispered.

So the group waited, but nothing changed. A few night creatures called in the darkness and the fire crackled; other than the Smashers' soft breathing, nothing else was there. No sounds of twigs snapping by a heavy-footed creature or other noises of a humanoid walking through the forest.

"I don't see or hear anyone. Should we leave?" Luigi whispered.

"Quiet! Look over there!" Captain Falcon pointed. Everyone's attention turned to the far left corner of the small campsite. A person walked in, covered by a long dark blue cloak; the tips of dark blue boots poking out from underneath. Other than a few wisps of golden hair showing from beneath the hood, no other details could be seen.

"Who's there?" the person asked, in a feminine voice - this was definitely a woman. She held out a hand, covered by a dark blue glove, "Show yourselves!"

Not quite sure what to do, the Smashers stayed silent. The woman took a small step back, placed her hands together and created a fire ball. She shot it into the darkness at Yoshi, who barely ducked in time.

"Hey! Don't attack us!" Mario called, stepping out of the brush.

"We won't hurt you!" Fox added, coming out as well.

"All of you, out!" the woman hissed, gesturing to the forest. Carefully as to not startle her, the others came into the open, Samus' hand on Pit's shoulder.

The woman gasped upon seeing Pit. She pointed at him and exclaimed, "You! You!"

"Me? What about me?" Pit asked, eyebrow raised in confusion.

The woman simply turned and fled.

XXXXXXXXX

"Ouch! I hate these branches! Tomorrow I'm going to electrocute this whole forest into a crisp!" Pikachu shouted, who had been hit in the face by another tree branch.

"Come on! We can't let her get away!" Kirby called back, pushing a few tree limbs to the side."

"Why not?" Luigi called, "She left! What's the point of chasing her?"

"Didn't you notice? She's pausing and waiting for us to catch up. I think she wants us to see something!" Samus replied, jumping over a fallen log.

Eventually the woman stopped in front of a cave, looked back to see if the Smashers were following, and then ducked inside.

"Come on! Can you use Flash, Pikachu?" Link asked, looking back at the yellow Pokémon right behind him.

"Sure can!" Pikachu began to glow, and a bright flash of light illuminated the whole cave in an instant. After pausing to rub their eyes from the shock of the light, the group continued into the cave.

Pit slid to a halt in front of two paths, right behind Fox and Captain Falcon. "Where do we go now?" Pit asked.

Fox was scanning the ground, and then pointed to the left tunnel, "This way. The only footprints go down here."

Another few twists and turns and the group came upon a pair of tall stone doors that had fallen off of their hinges and now lay across the doorway like bars. The group carefully hopped over the two doors and found themselves in what looked like an abandoned temple.

Huge stone columns rose up on either side, holding the huge rocky ceiling in place. At one point the ceiling would have had beautiful artwork on it, but now it was impossible to tell what the picture originally was due to the cracked and chipped paint. A long red carpet ran from the door to the altar at the front, dusty and faded with age. All along the walls were candle holders with the remains of old candles melted in them; the white wax now stuck to the metal like skin. All along the path to the altar were piles of broken dark wood; perhaps benches at one point but they looked like they had been chopped to pieces. The air was dank and had a musky smell that seemed like a combination of mold, blood and rotting flesh.

"What is this place?" Pit asked. Link shrugged.

They made their way to the front of the room, up three small stone steps to a platform that only contained an old wooden chest, covered with gold leaf and painted a bright sky blue. Behind the box the entire wall was decorated in elaborate carvings; some word-like and others obviously drawings. In the center of all of these carvings was giant circle, about twelve feet in diameter with an angel carved in it.

"Hello?" Captain Falcon called out, his voice echoing off the old stone. No one responded to the shout, the air perfectly still.

"There only seems to be one entrance here. Where could that woman have gone?" Fox said out loud, looking back and forth.

"Ah, forget her. What I want to know is what's in the box." Pikachu scrambled up the altar and leaped on the box, "Shall we open it?"

Ness stepped up to the box, and once Pikachu jumped off he tried to open it. "No good," Ness said after a minute of struggling, leaning against the chest, "I think it's locked."

"Let me try," Link said, but he didn't have any luck either.

"Ok, if DK can't get it than no one can," Jigglypuff said, gesturing for the ape to give it a try. Donkey Kong stepped forward got a good grip on the bottom of the lid and began to pull.

"I think it's bolted to the floor," Luigi said, getting on his knees to look at the bottom the chest.

"I…think…it's…coming…" Donkey Kong panted, struggling with every moment.

"Oh, the ways that could be taken out of context…" Ness commented, causing about half of the others there to start laughing.

"Very…funny…" DK heaved, the wood of the box lid beginning to crack.

"Careful! Don't break it!" Mario gasped as more cracks spread throughout the old wood.

Donkey Kong didn't seem to hear the creaks of the lid, and in one last effort pulled as hard as he could, yanking the lid open and sending DK tumbling. "That…was a pain," DK sighed as Captain Falcon helped him to his feet.

The fighters gathered around, but there was nothing inside.

"Who would go to the trouble of superglue-ing a chest shut and placing it on an altar if there's nothing inside?" Ness asked.

Pit thought for a moment and then said, "Don't lots of chests have hidden compartments?"

Fox looked at Pit, and then reached into the box, feeling the old, dark wooden bottom. "Hey, I think there's a button here…" Fox pushed down on a small spot, and the right half of the bottom slid underneath the left to reveal a small, purple velvet pouch. Pit picked up the bag and opened it; inside was a golden key.

"Where do you think it goes?" Jigglypuff asked.

"Man, if it's the key to this box I'll be pissed off," DK said. They looked at the chest, but there was no keyhole.

Kirby scanned the room and shrugged, "Doesn't seem like there's anywhere it goes here."

"Maybe the wall?" Luigi suggested. The group looked it over, but couldn't tell what the drawings or strange letters meant.

"This circle seems important," Kirby said, tapping the angel outlined by a carved circle.

"There are some words here, but I have no clue what language they're in," Samus said, tapping the bottom of the circle.

Pit squinted at the strange alphabet, the letters flashing between random symbols to things he could read. "It says…something about…a bow…three treasures…and…freedom, I think."

"You can read that?" Yoshi asked, surprised.

The angel shrugged, "Sort of. It kind of flickers between legible and scribbles."

Fox put his head against the edge of the circle, the pointed ear twitching, listening for sounds. "Guys, I think this is a door. I can hear a breeze behind this thing."

Pit and Mario also came close to the door; sure enough, a whistling noise came from behind the circle.

"How do we open it?" Ness asked.

"I say either DK or blowing it to Kingdom Come," Pikachu said, sniffing the stone circle.

"I'll try, but I don't give any guarantees that it'll work," DK replied, stepping forward. DK placed both of his hands on the circle about five feet apart and attempted to roll it to the right. Nothing happened, so he tried the left. Not even the slightest hint that the circle could move.

"Try the key, Pit," suggested Pikachu.

"There aren't any holes in the wall," Yoshi contradicted.

"Well, DK's not getting anywhere, so it's worth a try," Pikachu countered as DK moved away from the circle. Pit walked up and pressed the key against the wall, but nothing happened.

"Told ya," Yoshi said.

Pit leaned on the wall and sighed, "I wish I knew what was going on here."

Suddenly, the circle and angel began shining a soft blue. Pit backed away from the wall and went to the other Smashers, all who were staring at the glowing circle. The angel in the circle, the words underneath and the circle itself grew brighter and brighter, before suddenly dying, seemingly without rhyme or reason.

The wall rumbled, and then the circle rolled to the left of out sight, leaving a doorway filled with nothing but darkness. The Smashers took a few cautious steps forward, intending to go through the hole when suddenly a powerful blast of wind came out, screeching and howling. Kirby and Jigglypuff were sent tumbling until caught by Donkey Kong, while Ness held onto Captain Falcon's leg and Pikachu onto Fox's shoulder to be kept from blowing away. Link grabbed Pit's hand just as the angel was about to be knocked over by the powerful wind.

"What's going on?" Samus had to shout to be heard over the hurricane wind.

"I think we've unleashed hell! Go us!" Pikachu shouted, digging his nails into Fox's shirt.

Then just as quickly as it had occurred, the wind stopped. The door flashed once and then rolled back into place, and except for stirring up perhaps a century's worth of dust bunnies the place looked exactly the same.

"What the heck was - Achoo! - that?" Fox asked, rubbing his nose.

"I don't know," Mario said, sniffing, "But I don't want to repeat it."

"You think it activated because of Pit himself or what Pit said?" Jigglypuff said, looking at Pit.

"Um…I think I said something about wishing I knew what was going on here," Pit replied. The wall didn't respond.

"Wind tunnels are going on here, apparently. Since we can't get past that wind, there's no point in staying. We should go," Luigi said, motioning over his shoulder back to the door.

Some of the Smashers looked ready to argue until Captain Falcon said, "Guys, it's past midnight, we've got a guest with us and we didn't tell Master Hand where we were going. We're going to be in big, big trouble."

XXXXXXXXX

"Where the _hell_ have you guys _been_?" Master Hand scolded the Smashers as soon as they walked in, "I don't care if you guys disappear around the Smasher's world during the day, but you have to _tell_ me when you leave the Base at night! Don't you have any idea how worried I was?"

"We're sorry, Master Hand," Link said, looking down. The other Smashers couldn't look at Master Hand either, sensing his anger and disappointment.

"It's one in the morning! How could you have guys not paid attention to the time?" Master Hand snapped, pointing at a wall clock by the back door.

"It's just that the craziest thing happened to us tonight," Pikachu piped up, eyes sparkling.

Master Hand sighed and asked, "What was it?"

Together the thirteen recounted their adventure, and even though all of them obviously believed what they saw and showed him the key Master Hand wasn't buying it.

"So there's a secret temple in a mountain here and a mysterious woman running around? Do you guys honestly expect me to believe that?" Master Hand said, shaking his pointer finger at the group, "You could have picked up that key anywhere!"

"We all saw it Master Hand, honest!" Jigglypuff countered. The others quickly agreed.

"Look, I don't care if you guys saw the gate to Narnia open in thin air - you guys do _not_ go out of my sight after dark without telling me first! I know you're all good fighters and can take care of yourselves, but I'm still responsible for you!" Master Hand pointed to the door, "Besides, there are a lot of wild animals out there and they don't need the commotion. From now on, stay near the Base when night falls, ok?"

Everyone promised that they would and were about to go upstairs and get ready for bed, but Master Hand stopped them. "I told you all on your first day here that I had to restrict your freedom a little to keep this place open. This isn't the first time any of you have broken the rule, 'don't go anywhere after nightfall without telling Master Hand first', and of course Pit didn't know it. Point being is that because Pit's here, I won't do anything to you now, but -" the Smashers became a little more worried when Master Hand continued, "Once he leaves, you'll all be grounded for a week. Is that clear?"

"Pit, please don't ever leave," Kirby said to the young angel, pretending to beg. The others all laughed, including Master Hand before he dismissed them all for bed.

XXXXXXXXX

"I guess he wasn't too happy with us, huh?" Pit said to Link as they climbed the stairs together, the others either having dashed ahead or were lagging behind.

Link chuckled, "Yeah, but each of us is guilty of doing it. We do obey the rules most of the time because there are so few, but every so often we bend them."

"Has Master Hand ever gotten really mad at you guys?" Pit asked.

"He's usually really good at controlling his temper, but there have been a few times when he's yelled at one of us. He apologizes right after, though. He doesn't want to be too mean."

"Does he ever hit you?"

"Of course not!" Link said, staring wide-eyed at the young angel, "What would make you think that? Because he's a hand?"

"No, no. I was just wondering, that's all." _"And even if he did, I would still rather be here than back at Tavor's place."_

"Get that out of your head! We're like the children he's never had - he likes to 'parent' us," Link replied, laughing a little, "It's one of the best things about him. Master Hand said that one of the biggest problems with heroes is that they try to take too much on their own and once they get in trouble and need help they don't know where to turn. What he wants is for all of us to lean a little bit on each other, so when we fall there's a lot of people to help us stand up."

"Wow," Pit said, coming around the final set of stairs and now walking down the hallway with Link to their rooms, "I wish I could be here. You're all one big family, aren't you?"

Link nodded, "We are, and I really want for you to stay here - and not just so I don't get grounded. The hardest part is to get you in. Once you're in, Master Hand will give you a specific date to show up here at so you can get the tour and initiation stuff out of the way, as well as design your bedroom. It takes all day, but it's not that bad…except for the sex talk."

"What?" Pit asked in surprise, stopping in his tracks, "What do you mean by that?"

Link laughed at Pit's shocked expression, "Oh, at your age I'm sure he'd skip it, but basically Master Hand goes over the rules for dating and stuff around here."

"Which are…?"

"Basically you can date anybody you'd like, whether they are male or female, but the most intimate stuff is only allowed in the partners' bedrooms. As well, there's free private access to condoms and lubricant, but if you want something more…um…'intimate', you'll have to go buy it yourself. Another thing is that Master Hand would like to know if you are in a relationship so he can install a sound-shield in the rooms…so it keeps things quiet, if you catch my drift."

"Makes sense."

"There's more to the talk than that, but I don't think you really need to know it." Link yawned, "Well, it's late. 'Night, Pit."

"Goodnight Link." Pit walked into his room and shut the door, already very drowsy.

After Pit took a shower, using all of the fancy bath supplies he crawled into the soft bed. Pit fell asleep almost instantly, enjoying the comfort he hadn't felt in months.

XXXXXXXXX

A loud knocking on his door startled the young angel awake. Sunlight streamed through the large windows and lit up the room. Yawning, Pit sat up and looked at the clock - it was nine-fifteen.

"Pit! It's past nine - time to get up!" Captain Falcon called from the hallway, "Plenty of stuff to do today, so let's go!"

After getting dressed and heading downstairs, Pit was waved over to the breakfast table, where currently only three Smashers - Pikachu, Kirby and Jigglypuff - were eating.

"Everyone else takes longer to get ready in the mornings. You up for another day with us nutcases?" Pikachu asked, biting into a cinnamon bun.

"Not like I have a choice," Pit replied while taking an apple, "I think I've been initiated into the group."

"Yep! You're stuck here whether you like it or not!" Kirby took another helping of fruit salad and reached for another piece of toast.

Eventually the others all came in, and after eating breakfast and putting the dishes away they ran off to the arena for some more fun.

XXXXXXXXX

"Hey Ness, I have a few questions for you…" Pit said, sitting next to the PK pre-teen while waiting for the current round to be finished, "How can people get hurt here? Link said he got hurt in the arena, but you guys aren't dying out there!"

"Oh, that!" Ness replied, laughing, "That can result from a really hard blow at the same time as a glitch. Sometimes moves that aren't supposed to be that strong are performed very well by the user, and because of that the shield designed to protect us doesn't always fully catch it. The shield will protect us from most of the blow, but sometimes a little damage is done."

"So what happened in Link and Pikachu's case?"

"Pikachu used Quick Attack and slammed hard into Link's ankle. Link kind of fell awkwardly and twisted his ankle, while falling on top of Pikachu and hurting Pikachu's foot as well. They didn't notice until they got out of the arena, because the shield, of course, blocks pain."

"Cool…and one other thing - do you go to school or anything here?"

Ness shrugged, "Kind of. Technically I'm supposed to continue school like normal, but really all Master Hand does is assign me a few small things to complete every week. He says most things in school are just explaining and random useless projects, so he makes sure I'm up-to-date with my home world's school system, but he's not picky. Everyone helps out to make sure I get done quickly. Most of the time I cram a whole ton into a day and then kick it off for a long while."

"Lucky," Pit sighed, putting his chin in his hand, "I wish I could do that. Sitting in a classroom listening to the teacher drone on and on is so dull."

Ness grinned, "Yeah, lucky me - I go at my own pace and get all the help I need."

"I wish I could stay here," Pit said, leaning back in his seat.

"I wish you could too. I'd be nice to have someone my age around - everyone else is either about ten years older or five years younger. We all act like the same age, which is somewhere around, oh, I dunno, seven - but it's just not the same."

"Well, I'll practice as hard as I can, so maybe by the next tournament rolls around I can join."

Ness slapped Pit a high-five, "Give it all you've got. We'll make sure that there's a spot here for you."

Pit nodded and turned back to the fight. In this place everyone was friendly and willing to help out in any way they could, answering questions asked to them to the best of their ability. They played all sorts of games together and tried their best never to exclude anyone, and loved going on adventures.

If Pit hadn't come to the Base, he would have thought such a thing wasn't possible. Perhaps Tavor's harshness was rubbing off a bit on his young nephew.

"_I won't think about him today, or tomorrow. I won't think about him for the rest of the week. I just wish I never had to go back…"_

XXXXXXXXX

The week flew by in a flash, and everyone was sad to see it end. They had fought in the arena, played video games, trained for more fighting and tried out a number of sports with uneven teams - it almost impossible to pause and take a breathe, for everyone was always on the move. The group had gone back to where the temple was, but oddly enough couldn't find the cave again. Still, Pit had quickly grown to love the Base and the Smashers, and in return they loved him and loved having him around. They had become such good friends, but now Pit was going to have to return home to that nightmare once again. No matter how hard the Smashers begged Master Hand, they couldn't get him to break and let Pit stay longer.

"I would love to have Pit stay too, but he needs to go back home. I promise to all of you right here and now, that when I start up the next tournament, Pit will be invited. Ok?" Master Hand said a little wearily, trying to comfort the Smashers.

"I guess that's the best we can get," Yoshi sighed.

"Could you possibly hold on for another year?" Link asked Pit, looking the young angel in the eyes.

"I'll try…" Pit whispered, hugging Link. The Hylian returned the hug, and Pit was just about ready to cry. _"I don't want to go home!" _Pit thought, _"I love it here, and I'm safe here! Please don't send me away!"_

After being hugged by everyone and his backpack loaded into the Arwing again, Pit had no choice but to say goodbye to the Smashers, who promised that they'd invite him back again soon. With one final wave, Fox took off.

Pit couldn't help but let a few tears slip out of his eyes, and Fox said to him, "Believe me Pit, you have no idea how much it pains me to take you home. Link couldn't stop talking about how happy you've become and -" Fox suddenly stopped talking and was quiet.

"What do you mean?" Pit asked, trying to look at the pilot.

Fox's expression was neutral, and he tried to keep his voice calm as he said, "We're kinda worried about you, that's all. Your relatives seem like such jackasses and Link thinks that they…"

"That they what?"

"May be beating you, that's all."

Pit gulped and fingered the golden key hanging around his neck. The other Smashers had decided to let Pit keep it, and Jigglypuff had strung it on a sea green ribbon so he could wear the key.

"You're pretty quiet back there. Is everything alright?"

More tears threatened to fall, and Pit swallowed in an attempt to keep them in. He wanted nothing more than to just blab out everything to Fox and have the pilot turn the Arwing around and fly him back to the Base, but there was no real point. He would lose the inheritance and with his wounds healed, he had no proof. All his relatives had to say was that they couldn't afford to make a better place for Pit and there was an explanation for why he was in the attic. It would be a lot of drama that wouldn't yield any results.

"I'm ok," Pit said, choking up, "Could I wing-ride again?"

"Sure thing. Watch yourself out there," Fox said, letting Pit out. Once flying in the cold morning air, Pit let himself cry, for as far as Fox knew the tears could simply be coming from the strong wind and not from Pit's heart.

XXXXXXXXX

Fox didn't take a long time to say goodbye as Pit's uncle glared from the doorway. Once the Arwing took off, Pit walked back towards his cage as Tavor said, "How was it?"

"Nice. It was fun to fight in the arena," Pit said simply, following Tavor inside.

"Throw your stuff upstairs and get to work," Kara said, throwing Pit a pair of green rubber gloves, "There's a whole set of pots for you to wash, and then the kitchen floor needs to be washed."

Pit sighed and did as he was asked; wishing that while washing the dishes Pikachu would be drying them and chatting up a storm and while mopping the kitchen floor Kirby would come by, skate across the wet tile and slam into the cupboards on the other side, like he had done at the Base.

Having gained some more weight at the Base and having his wounds fully healed, Pit was now put fully to work by his relatives. He finally managed to collapse in bed at one in the morning, softly crying while holding the gold key and wishing with all of his heart that he was back at the Base; a place where he could actually belong.

XXXXXXXXX

Star quietly sat on the roof, watching the young angel slowly fall asleep. She tucked her blue cloak closer to her body and brushed back her golden hair, letting out a soft sigh. It was a good thing he had kept that key, for if Medusa got her hands on it -

"Star!" A voice hissed, and the warrior turned around to see a Reaper, one of Medusa's minions. The Reaper pointed its scythe at Star and hissed, "Where is it?"

"Nowhere and everywhere," Star replied, moving along the roof to the next house and keeping the Reaper away from Pit. How the hell the damn thing got into the city without being detected, Star had no idea.

"Tell me…you know what Medusa wants…"

"Fuck Medusa! If she wants it and me so badly, she can just come get me herself and make me tell!" Star snapped, jumping onto the lawn and taking off down the street. The Reaper let out another hiss and followed the warrior, completely missing the fact the its prize was just a few meters away a moment ago.

_**I suppose I could have elaborated on Pit's stay a bit more, but there was not much happening there except for the temple and the fact they all become friends. It seemed useless to write a whole bunch of stuff that had no real point, but I suppose I could find a way to sneak in bits later on.**_

_**And finally, here's the 'stranger' part from the description. Who is she and what does she want? Only time will tell…**_


	11. Helping Hand

Pit let out a cry as another four feathers were ripped out of his right wing. Blood immediately began to trickle from the delicate membrane underneath, leaving thin red lines all along his snowy white wings. "Please…st-stop…" Pit whimpered, turning around as much as he could to look at Tavor's face, which was pulsing with anger. The older angel now held ten white feathers in his right hand, the tips stained with blood. His left hand was placed against the younger angel's back, pinning Pit against the kitchen wall. The two were alone in the house, not that it made too much of a difference considering how useless Pit's relatives would be anyways.

"How _dare_ you lie to me!" Tavor snarled with his face inches away from Pit's, "A hundred dollars, no less! What were you going to do with that money?"

"I d-didn't take any-anything!" Pit stuttered, gasping as Tavor began twisting his wing.

"Are you saying a pile of money could simply walk on out of here?" Tavor grabbed the edge of Pit's blue t-shirt and pulled. Almost choking the younger angel, Tavor wrestled Pit out of the garment, throwing it to the ground along with the young angel. "Get up!"

Pit slowly got to his feet, his eyes downward. He knew what was going to happen next.

"Look at me, Pit. Do you understand what's gonna happen now?"

"Yes," Pit whispered, the map of abuse already having been printed onto his skin for weeks now.

There was no point in trying to protect himself. That only made Tavor angrier. As much as Pit felt pathetic for acting so weak when he could fight back, his stomach was still growling from being empty for three days now. There was no way he was going to jeopardize his chances of getting a bite to eat.

The first smash to his chest made Pit feel woozy; his ribs aching, perhaps cracked again. A hit to the gut, and one on his shoulder followed, and then came more. Pit closed his eyes, tucked his wings behind his back and waited for it to be over. A sharp pain shot through his right arm, making Pit automatically twist to protect the hurt limb. The beating continued on his back, not even his wings safe from the hard blows.

These little sessions only lasted a few minutes, but they happened far too often for that to be any comfort. When it was all over, Pit was curled up on the ground in pain, his wings wrapped around his body as a weak shield. Slowly, Pit allowed his eyes to look up at his uncle.

"Clean this up," was all Tavor said before stomping out of the room, the feathers he let go of drifting to the sticky tiled floor like flower petals.

Pit waited until he heard the front door slam shut and the car roar away before he uncurled, wincing with every small movement. Slowly he picked up his ten wing feathers and dropped them in the trash, since they were of no use to him now. Pit then carefully slipped on the t-shirt again, wincing as the fabric rubbed against his new wounds before picking up a blue plastic pail and heading to the basement to fill it up.

In the laundry room was a large gray sink, wide enough to fit the pail. Pit placed the bucket underneath the tap and began to fill it up, a few tears of his own adding to the mix. He had never taken any money - and if he had, he wouldn't have waited around long enough for Tavor to find out. Pit sighed and reached for the cleaning solution, dumping a bit into the bucket and letting it mix in before turning the tap off and carrying the heavy bucket back upstairs.

Pit dipped the mop into the water, wrung it out and then began scrubbing the floor where his punishment had occurred. These punishments usually happened every two or three days, but outside of the house no one had a clue. It was now the middle of November and frosty outside. The whole city was cold and gray, and there was no sign of the war letting up anytime soon. There was talk about a draft, which made Tavor furious and only more ready to let out his anger on Pit.

The young angel sighed and continued on through the rest of the house. He might as well wash all the floors while the bucket was filled. It was easier to do this stuff on a weekend, especially since he had to go to school tomorrow.

XXXXXXXXX

After the end of the summer fun at the Smashers' Base the fighters kept trying to contact Pit, surprised when they continually got no response.

"Maybe he's too busy catching up on things he's missed," they thought at first.

September turned into October.

"Maybe he's having fun with school and friends so he hasn't been looking at his email."

October went into November.

"Maybe he's forgotten us."

November was only two weeks away from being December.

"Maybe something's wrong."

XXXXXXXXX

Fluffy flakes of snow had started to fall as Fox and Jigglypuff had at least another two miles before they got back to the Base. The pair had taken a walk outside, back to look at the cave. The Smashers had gone back at least ten times, all sure that they had seen something. They had compared notes on the strange cave and temple beforehand, noticing that their descriptions were the same. Positive that something was there, they kept going back. Samus had even managed to sneak out at night once and made it back without being caught, but there was still no cave.

"I know we saw something," Fox huffed, his muzzle tucked down into his coat collar to protect his nose from the biting cold, "But every time we look, there's no evidence."

Jigglypuff shuddered, the cold beginning to get to her and the frozen grass crunchy beneath her bare feet, "Maybe we need Pit to get in."

"But we don't have Pit. I wonder where the heck he is."

Jigglypuff nodded, "Me too. I miss him - he was fun to fight with. I mean, not that everyone else isn't, but…"

Fox looked over at Jigglypuff and winked, "You can't get better if you keep fighting the same opponents over and over, right?"

Jigglypuff smiled, and then a whoosh of cold sent her tumbling forward, rolling a good three meters before coming to a stop.

"You okay?" Fox asked, kneeling beside the pink Pokémon.

"Yeah…" Jigglypuff mumbled, rubbing her head, "No harm done." The wind picked up, and the snow began to fall heavily, "We'd better get back."

"You're right," Fox replied, helping Jigglypuff stand up. Fox looked up, the world almost white in front of them, "Uh oh, I can't see the Base anymore."

"So? It's big and straight ahead. We know that. Come on!" Jigglypuff started walking again, Fox close beside to protect her from most of the wind.

XXXXXXXXX

With all of the floors in the house either washed or vacuumed, Pit finally was able to put away the cleaning supplies and collapse against the kitchen counter. He swiped a few painkillers, careful to make sure the bottle was put back the right way before putting the pills on the tip of his tongue and swallowing them with a sip of water.

The front door slammed open and Kara's voice came down the hallway, "Pit! Get here now!"

Pit scrambled to put his glass in the dishwasher before racing to the front door, his socked feet sliding a little on the damp hardwood. "Yes?" Pit asked, coming to a stop.

"Here," Kara said, thrusting five white plastic grocery bags into Pit's arms, "Put these away."

The young angel nodded, carrying the bags in his sore arms to the kitchen and placing them on the counter. Having to take out bags of fruit and bread and packages of meat and cookies, knowing all the while he probably wouldn't get a bite, made him feel tired.

Boris came in at the same time, kicking off his snowy sneakers before heading to the living room, carrying a package of gummies. After putting all of the food away Pit was ordered to clean the front entryway, which Pit did silently, without complaint. He couldn't help but let out a small cry when Kara put a hand on Pit's back.

"He beat you again?" Kara asked. Pit nodded. "At least it's hidden. See that you don't upset him." Kara walked back into the kitchen, leaving the hurt young angel to his duties.

After wiping up all of the snow, Pit looked outside. Thick flakes were gently floating down, coating everything like a blanket. "I bet it's still sunny back at the Base," Pit sighed, sitting against the wall again.

XXXXXXXXX

"I think we're lost," Jigglypuff whimpered, cuddling against Fox's chest.

Fox attempted to pull his jacket tighter around the Pokémon, shielding her from the cold. At least his own winter fur coat had come in now, protecting him from most of the frosty air. "It can't be much further, Jigglypuff. The Base was right in front of us."

"Was, Fox. The wind's blowing us around. We could be anywhere now."

Fox scanned the horizon, but all he could see was white. The blizzard had come up quickly, but it was likely Master Hand knew that Fox and Jigglypuff were missing and had gone looking for them. Every time a bad storm came up like this, Master Hand did a quick search to make sure everyone was inside, safe and sound. The Hand wasn't so vulnerable to the cold, so he could be searching for them right now.

Of course, a giant white glove in a snowstorm wasn't exactly easy to spot.

After a few more anxious minutes, Fox noticed two figures in the distance. "You see them?" Fox asked Jigglypuff, pointing.

Jigglypuff squinted, noticing the two dark shapes drawing closer, "Yeah, I see them."

"Hey!" Fox called out, his voice nearly lost in the howling wind, "You two! Come here!"

The figures stopped for a second and then began moving towards the two Smashers. Fox continued onwards, and eventually Jigglypuff and he met up with two swordsmen.

One had soft blue hair and was wearing a blue cloak. The other was a little shorter, had fiery red hair and a purple cloak. Both had blue armor.

"What are you doing here?" Fox asked.

The one with blue hair replied, but it was in a different language. Fox and Jigglypuff exchanged glances, and then the Pokémon asked, "Can you speak English?"

"A little," the red-haired one replied.

"Who are you?"

The one with red hair seemed to be trying to translate and think of a response. "I am Roy," he said after a few seconds, "And he is Marth."

"You need help?" Fox asked.

"We need to get to the Base," Marth replied, brow scrunched up in an attempt to use a different language.

"You too, huh?" Fox looked down at Jigglypuff, "We must have gone past."

"Fox! Jigglypuff!" A loud voice called across the snowy landscape, "Fox! Jigglypuff!"

"Here! We're here!" Fox and Jigglypuff started calling back, and in a minute Master Hand came upon the four.

"There you two are! I'm glad you're safe!" Then Master Hand turned to the two swordsmen and said something in their language, which they easily replied to.

"What?" Jigglypuff asked, looking back at the Hand.

"Never mind that now! They're here to try out for the next tournament. Let's get you all back safe and sound first, and then I'll explain." Master Hand carefully scooped up the four and began carrying them back to the Base, not caring about the weight - just glad they were all ok.

XXXXXXXXX

"Pit!" Kara called again, and Pit sighed, standing up on his aching legs to go back to the kitchen.

Instead of finding more work, there was a bowl of tomato soup and a bun, along with a glass of milk on the counter. Pit's stomach growled just looking at it. Kara pointed at the meal and said, "Eat. Then clean up and start on the bathrooms." She walked away after that.

Pit waited until she left the room before diving into the meal. He never realized that after being hungry, even the smallest amount of food tasted like a whole meal. With his stomach filled, Pit went to the kitchen closet where most of the cleaning supplies where kept, grabbed what he needed for the bathrooms and started out for the main floor one first. He felt very sleepy with his stomach full, but Pit knew if he took a nap now then it wouldn't be full again for another week.

XXXXXXXXX

While there were many rooms simply built in the Base for hanging out, they each had different purposes. The one Pikachu was currently in was for quiet, with soft red plush walls for keeping out sound. The room was cozy and warm, and Pikachu often took an afternoon nap in there, curled up on the windowsill on a plump velvet cushion purchased especially for him. The beginnings of the blizzard didn't even wake the Pokémon from his slumber, or Master Hand opening the door to make sure he was there during the hand's check. However, when the door slammed against the wall and a number of voices asking questions came through, the Pokémon was forced to acknowledge the world around him.

"Ugh…what is it?" Pikachu asked, his sleepy hunter's green eyes finally opening. He was still curled into a ball like a cat, with his tail next to his nose, although he lifted his head when the commotion started.

Master Hand came floating in upside-down carrying a group of people. He made sure the gas fireplace was on 'high' before settling the two current Smashers and two possible Smashers in front of it. "Sorry Pikachu, but these four need to get warm. I'm just glad nobody has frostbite."

Pikachu yawned and stretched like a cat before hopping down from his comfortable perch, "I don't see why I had to be woken up, though." The electric Pokémon rubbed his eyes, getting rid of the last bits of sleep. He then noticed two swordsmen he had never seen before, "Hey! Who are they?"

"These two are Marth and Roy," Master Hand said, finally giving an explanation. The other nine Smashers gathered around, eager to hear more, "They're going to be trying out for the next tournament."

The Smashers then began asking Marth and Roy a bunch of questions, who simply looked at each other and shrugged.

"Is something wrong?" Kirby asked.

"English isn't these two's first language. They speak Japanese instead," Master Hand replied.

"Oh…that's going to be difficult," DK said, looking at the two swordsmen.

"They can speak English well for learning it later in life, but you guys have to go slow and give them time to respond. And don't judge them by how silly their answers might be - it's hard to use a different language."

"Of course!" Mario stepped forward and offered his hand to Marth, "I'm Mario!"

"I'm Marth," the blue-haired swordsman replied, taking the plumber's hand, "Nice to meet you."

"So you're Roy?" Captain Falcon asked, sitting down by the red-haired swordsman.

Roy nodded, "Yes…and you?"

Introductions slowly went around, and then the Smashers had fun learning Japanese from their new companions. Most people would want to know about directions or please and thank you, but the Smashers had more important info they'd rather know in a different language.

"What's 'duck' in Japanese?" Pikachu asked.

Roy laughed, "Ahiru."

"How about 'cow'?" Kirby asked next.

"Ushi," Marth responded.

"'Balloon'?" Jigglypuff asked.

"Fuusen."

"'Shoe'?" Yoshi asked, pointing at Mario's foot.

"Kutsu," Roy replied.

"What's 'friend'?" Link asked.

"That would be, 'tomodachi'," Marth replied.

Master Hand let out a small chuckle at the way the Smashers were trying to speak Japanese. It was great that they were still attempting to be friends, even with the language barrier.

Of course, depending on how well the swordsmen did in the arena would determine whether or not they would stay.

XXXXXXXXX

There were three bathrooms in the house - two on the main floor, and one in the master suite bedroom. Pit was scrubbing out the bathtub in the upstairs bathroom, thinking about the Base again.

X

It was around midnight when the other Smashers decided to go for a late night swim. Having seen both the indoor and outdoor pools on the tour around the Base, Pit was surprised when the Smashers opted for the colder, outside pool instead of the heated indoor one.

Regardless, Pit changed and went outside with the others. Pikachu grabbed his hand and pulled him down the grassy hill to the pool, letting go of the angel only when he jumped in.

"Cold!" Pikachu chattered, laughing and lying on his back in the water. Kirby dove in as well, but Jigglypuff was more cautious and slowly waded in from the shallow end before making her way to the other two.

"Jump in, Pit!" Kirby called out from the deep end, "It's better to get it over with all at once!"

Pit carefully dipped his big toe in, yanking it back out when he felt the temperature, "It's freezing!"

"That's what makes it fun!" Samus said, performing a perfect dive into the water. Pikachu applauded.

After watching Mario and Captain Falcon jump right in, although Luigi and Yoshi went around the long way, Pit decided to get in the quick way as well. A shock ran through Pit as the cold water went over his head. He swam back to the surface and rubbed the water out of his eyes, his body shivering in the cold.

"Nice out here, isn't it?" Fox said to no one in particular, looking up at the starry sky.

"You miss flying?" Yoshi asked, paddling nearby.

Fox nodded, "Piloting my Arwing is my passion, after all. It's not like I can't fly it around here, but it's not the same."

"Are you thinking about leaving for a bit?" Luigi asked, leaning against the side of the pool.

The pilot shrugged, "Dunno. It's not like anything big is going on around back home. Slippy said all the team has been doing is hunting down the last of Andross' forces and going after space pirates every so often. It's nothing that needs my attention."

"You miss your team, then?"

"A little, although I am glad I don't have to deal with Falco in the morning. He's a bit of a grouch."

A couple Smashers laughed, and then Pit asked, "But I thought you were going to invite him to the Base?"

"I already did. He wants to try, and I'm sure he'll be great. He may be cocky but he's really quite lovable. Just don't tell him I said that."

"Done," Pikachu said, doing a flutter kick over to Fox, "We're gonna end up with quite a lineup of Smashers here."

"And I can't wait! I hope there's another person to practice my swordsmanship skills with. Other than Pit, I mean," Link said, floating on his back.

Pit sighed, "I still don't know if I'll get in or not."

"You can fly, use bows and swords, you're a good fighter and we like you. You're in," Falcon replied, treading water.

"Still…" Pit looked up at the starry sky and thought to himself, _"Will it really be that easy to get away? I mean, I'm only temporarily staying somewhere…would that still count as me being 'home'? What should I do?"_

"Enough of this. Let's play a game," Mario said while swimming over to the center of the pool, "We can play Marco Polo or something."

"Sure - you're It, Mario," Yoshi said, tapped Mario on the shoulder and then paddled away. Mario rolled his eyes, but accepted his role.

Pit did play along, but he kept glancing back at the Base. He only had one more night after this one - would that be his last night forever?

X

"Boris and I are going out again, Pit!" Kara called from downstairs, startling Pit out of his daydream, "After you're done the bathrooms, you can work on the bedrooms."

"Ok," Pit called back, relieved to hear the slamming of the front door. Ten minutes later he had finished the bathrooms and now worked on getting the bedrooms tidied up. He had just loaded the washing machine downstairs with a load of clothes when he heard the front door open once again. Pit sighed and trudged up the stairs, wondering what he'd have to do next.

The young angel was surprised he came out of the basement to see his Tavor in the front entryway with a woman - well, not so much that but what he was doing with her. The woman's wings were sparkled red and she had bright red lips. She was wearing a short red skirt and red tank top, perfectly unsuitable for the current weather outdoors. Her short brown hair was matted and unruly, but Tavor didn't seem to care as he kissed her again.

Confused, Pit was about to leave when Tavor spotted him, "Hey! Bring me a beer!" His words were a bit slurred, meaning he probably already had a few drinks. Pit obeyed and handed the can to his uncle while Tavor slid a hand under the woman's skirt.

"Is our bed made?" Tavor asked Pit, and then glared when Pit shook his head. "Fix it up."

The woman didn't seem to care about the way Tavor was treating Pit, only asking how to make Tavor happy. The two adults' giggling followed Pit upstairs, the young angel quickly straightening the quilts and thinking about the weird things adults did together. Hopefully he'd understand when he was older.

Tavor grunted in approval when Pit showed him the bedroom, and told the young angel to stay downstairs for the next few hours. Pit nodded and left, and the bedroom door slammed shut behind him.

With no more orders Pit watched television for a while, waiting for the washing machine to be done. He quietly stole a couple of crackers and a juice-box, eating while watching some mindless kids' show. The things were too damn happy for Pit's taste.

Pit did hear some strange sounds when he walked past the master suite to Boris' bedroom - they sounded almost animalistic, with a few small shouts. Figuring it was better not to ask Pit simply ignored the sounds and continued on with his work.

XXXXXXXXX

That night, however, Pit felt a lot of tension in the house. Quietly he did what was asked of him, and it was just as he was washing the pots used for supper did the fighting start upstairs.

Kara and Tavor were screaming and yelling at each other until their voices were so hoarse Pit didn't have the slightest clue what they were saying. Boris quickly left the kitchen and went to the living room, turning the television volume up high to drown out the voices.

Thumps came down the stairs as one of the adults came stomping down. Tavor made his way into the kitchen and grabbed Pit's left wing, yanking the younger angel backwards, "What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything!" Pit gasped, his wing straining at the sharp pull, "Let go of me!"

"Really? Then how does she know?" Tavor snarled, spittle flying from his lips.

"Of what?"

"You _know_ what!" Tavor backhanded Pit across the face, "Don't lie to me!"

"I don't understand! Just leave me alone!" Pit gasped.

Tavor finally let go, a look of triumph in his eyes, "All right then. You don't get any more food until next week."

Pit's eyes went wide, "But…but what about the pictures?"

"Vincent's gone for the next few months. You'll plump back up in time." With that Tavor left his confused nephew alone in the kitchen, who was slamming the newly washed pots on the counter thinking to himself that it just wasn't fair.

XXXXXXXXX

Master Hand watched in approval as Marth and Roy teamed up against Link and Samus. He could tell Link especially enjoyed taking on another swordsman, with his eyes shining bright every time he clashed swords with his opponents. Marth and Roy were very good, quickly picking up the idea behind the items and figuring out how to move on the stages.

The hand ran them through a Target Test and Land on the Platforms. They both performed well on each, although Master Hand gave no sign to whether or not they'd be accepted.

After their practice fights, Master Hand told them he couldn't let them go home in this weather and said they'd have to stay the night. He would take them to the portals in the morning. Both agreed and were happy to spend extra time with the Smashers.

Some of the Smashers were already speaking very simple sentences in Japanese, much to the amusement of Marth and Roy who often had to correct their pronunciation. Master Hand watched the now fourteen fighters eat dinner, chuckling softly to himself as the Smashers attempted to speak slower all around in order not to confuse the two swordsmen and failed miserably. Marth and Roy just laughed it off and spoke to each other in rapid Japanese.

These two seemed like good candidates, although they'd have to learn a bit more English first. But they were so determined Master Hand didn't think they'd have a problem. He left the fighters to their meal and went back to his office to search for more possible recruits.

XXXXXXXXX

_**Four days later…**_

Lance watched the school's front lawn from inside the building, waiting for his friend Pit to show up. After the fight with Dylan Pit had gained quite a bit of popularity in the eighth grade, especially for someone who hadn't grown up with the rest of the kids. But oddly enough, instead of relishing in the fame Pit pushed it away. He was kind enough to everyone and did talk with them, but he rarely mentioned his current life and never spoke about his past.

To everyone except Lance, that is. The two seemed to connect very quickly after that fight. Lance was normally a very cocky, headstrong kid, but certainly didn't have the guts to take on someone else with a knife while unarmed. He felt stupid stammering to Pit like he did and tried to show Pit he was actually a lot braver than he seemed. Pit had laughed but quickly caught on, and the two stuck together in the classes they shared and at lunch.

The one thing that bothered Lance, however, was the fact Pit never wanted to hang out outside of school. He was polite enough about it, and Lance knew that Pit liked him, but something just wasn't quite right.

Lance ran outside to Pit once Tavor drove up; Boris walked past Lance without even acknowledging him, but Pit offering his friend a weak smile, "Hey Lance."

"Hey yourself." Lance bit his lip and looked his friend up and down. Contrasting to Lance's own body, which was thin but still muscular, Pit was just…thin. His eyes seemed to have sunken in a little and his cheeks were a little pinched. Lance also didn't like the fact that while Boris had a thick jacket Pit only had a light sweater. Pit didn't like it when Lance commented on his appearances - he only snapped to drop the subject. So instead of saying anything he said, "At least it's Friday, huh?"

"Yeah," Pit whispered, walking towards the school, head down and backpack hanging loosely from one arm. Lance caught up to him quickly.

"You doing anything this weekend?" Pit shrugged in response. "Why don't we do something together?"

"I can't. Too many chores and homework," Pit replied, "History and stuff."

Lance frowned. He knew others kids that shared the two classes he and Pit didn't, and there wasn't much homework. Pit wasn't stupid either, gaining high marks despite little effort. So why say that?

"Well," Lance said, kicking a pile of snow, "You just let me know if you're up to it."

"I will," Pit replied, letting out a soft sigh before smiling again, "By the way, I managed to solve that word problem we got for extra in math last night."

"Really?" Lance asked, eyebrow raised, "How?"

"It's kind of a trick question, but I'll explain. See…" Pit rattled on about math, Lance pretending to no longer care about Pit's home life, but was slowly getting more and more concerned.

XXXXXXXXX

History was one of two classes Pit didn't share with Lance, which made Pit feel a little lonely. While the other kids were nice enough, Pit didn't really trust them very much. It wasn't the fact that Lance had saved him from being knifed; it was just…Lance.

Pit tried to read the textbook about some battle or another, but the sharp pain in his stomach kept him from focusing. His stomach didn't growl anymore; it was too weak for that. Pit mindlessly chewed on his eraser, the soft pink squish a pretended substitute for food.

It wasn't until a few moments later when Pit needed to correct a mistake on his worksheet when he realized the eraser was no longer in his hand. He was so hungry he had eaten it by mistake. Nobody seemed to have noticed, and Pit sighed in relief. He might tell Lance, who could help him laugh it off, although he wouldn't mention how hungry he was as he didn't want anyone to know.

The bell rang, and Pit slowly got up to leave, using his tongue to flick out the bits of pink eraser stuck between his teeth.

XXXXXXXXX

Lance had tried to get Pit to hang out with him, but the younger angel sadly shook his head every time, saying he had too much to do. He didn't even see Pit at lunch, and when asked about it later Pit responded with the same thing he did every day this week - he was working on a bonus project for his science class and didn't have time.

At home that night, Lance picked at his food. Alaura, his older sister by three years wasn't there, having gone out with friends. His little sister Gloriann, usually just called Glori, was only five and often a pain. Tonight she talked non-stop about kindergarten to her parents until finally Lance's father shushed her, saying that Lance hadn't gotten in a word all night.

"Are you alright, Lance?" Delicia, Lance's mother asked, "You've been very quiet lately."

"It's nothing, mom, really," Lance replied, pushing his green beans around with his fork.

Leo, Lance's father, also gave his son a concerned look, "Something bothering you, son?"

"Nothing, dad."

"I thought you have friends at school…is something going on with them?"

"Well…" Lance took a deep breath, "Remember Pit?" His parents nodded, Lance having spoken of Pit multiple times already, "It's just that he doesn't want to hang with me or anyone outside of school."

"So? Perhaps he just wants time alone," Leo replied.

Lance shook his head, "No dad; it's not that. He keeps making things up, like he's too busy or he has homework or…it just doesn't make sense!" Lance looked down at his plate, "And he won't say why he's with his relatives."

"Who are his relatives?" Delicia asked, filling up her youngest daughter's glass of juice.

"The Greystones." Lance expected the reaction from his parents - one of shock and concern.

It was only there for a brief moment before Leo said, "Lance, maybe you should consider leaving Pit alone."

"He's not like them! He's with his uncle and stuff - that means he's not really part of the ones you know."

Delicia turned to Lance, her lips pressed tight together for a second before speaking, "So, who are his parents, and why is he here?"

"I don't know! He never says a word about it!"

"He probably got transferred here because he did something bad at his old one. Those Greystones are all the same…"

"No they're not! If you'd met Pit, you'd understand!"

Leo's eyes narrowed at his son, "I think the reason Pit doesn't want to go anywhere with you is because those Greystones only like a select few - and those are of highly questionable character."

The three eldest at the table all stared stonily at each other until Glori began talking again.

"I'm going to be Pit's friend, whether you like it or not," Lance replied, his voice cold.

Leo shrugged, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

XXXXXXXXX

That night Lance stayed up late, watching the small television in his bedroom. His room was fairly large, with plenty of space for a double bed, a bookshelf, a desk with a computer and a chest of drawers with the TV on top. His closet door was slightly ajar, clothes keeping the door from being shut all the way. The floor was mainly clean with a few books and toys scattered here and there. Lance flicked through the channels, not really paying attention. Instead he thought about Pit, wondering what his younger friend was doing tonight.

"_He can't be evil…could he? He seems so nice and…and scared. Just a little, anyways. I wonder what's up with his life, why he won't talk to me…"_

A thump sounded on Lance's window, and Lance hit the mute button. It came again; a soft thump on the glass. Lance looked at his clock; it was just before midnight, so his parents should be asleep in their master bedroom downstairs.

Another thump sounded, louder than the other two. Lance pulled open the curtains and looked outside. He couldn't believe his eyes. A young angel was standing on the snow-free path outside that lead to his front door, dressed only in a t-shirt and jeans, with no shoes - just socks. The angel's wings had blood on them, probably from having feathers torn out. With the streetlight casting a soft yellow glow over the young angel, Lance could clearly see a number of bruises just below the t-shirt's short sleeves. The angel finally looked at the window, and Lance recognized the tear-streaked face immediately.

He hurriedly opened his window, silently thankful that there was no screen. "Pit?" Lance called down to the young angel below, "What are you doing here?"

"Hi Lance," Pit called back, shivering, his voice weak, "I…I didn't know where else to go. I'm so cold and they won't let me back inside. Could…could I possibly come in?"

Greystone or not, Lance couldn't refuse - Pit was going to die out there, with the temperature already twenty below Celsius. Lance called down, "Can you fly up here? There's no screen." Pit nodded, and despite his hurt wings made it up to the windowsill. Lance helped Pit inside, the younger angel wincing with every touch.

Lance quickly shut the window as Pit collapsed on the ground, shivering. He curled into a ball and blew on his fingers, trying to get some feeling back into them. Lance quickly grabbed under Pit's arms and half-lifted, half-dragged his friend into his bed.

"What happened to you? Who did this to you?" Lance whispered as he covered Pit with the blankets, desperate to warm his friend up. Lance didn't wait for a response, immediately rushing to his closet to drag out the old heater he had stored in there. After locating the tall black heater about a meter high and a few inches wide, Lance dragged it out of the closet and plugged in next to his bed.

Pit held out his frozen fingers to the heater, "Oh…that's…so warm…" Pit whispered, his hands still shaking.

"Come on now. Who did this to you?" Lance paused for a moment, remembering what Pit had said, _"I'm so cold and they won't let me back inside."_

"Your relatives? They kicked you outside dressed like this?" Pit nodded slowly, avoiding Lance's gaze, "Why?"

"I forgot something in the oven," Pit whispered, "I was just so, so tired, I fell asleep, and it burned. Tavor got me. He told me if I liked things hot I needed to cool down, so he threw me outside and locked me out."

Pit said the sentences with no emotion, as if he didn't care. He was too busy staring at the heater anyways, entranced by the warmth. Lance was feeling a little nervous, with his stomach churning at the thought of being kicked outside in this weather, wearing what Pit had on.

"Did…did Tavor do this too?" Lance asked, lightly brushing Pit's wing.

Pit folded his wings against his back and tucked his hands underneath the covers, "No, Kara did. She ripped out my feathers this time. I've already lost thirty-two this week."

The way Pit kept speaking of the cruelties happening to him was so casual that Lance was just about ready to slap him to get a response. But he couldn't do that - couldn't harm an already hurt angel. Instead Lance crossed his arms and asked, "Have you had anything to eat?"

"I haven't anything to eat today, or yesterday, or the day before that, or any day since Sunday." Pit closed his eyes and whispered, "I asked and asked, but they wouldn't give me a thing. They locked the cupboards and fridge so I couldn't get a bit of food. I ate all of my back up supplies weeks ago. I'm so hungry," Pit finished off, looking at his only friend in the world right now, "I'm so hungry, I could eat _you_."

Lance couldn't help but stare in shock at Pit, "So that means…at lunch…"

"There is no project," Pit whispered, "I just can't stand seeing all of that food when I'm so hungry."

"Hold on," Lance replied, thinking quickly "We've got food. Lots of food. I'll make you something warm."

"Really?" Pit whispered, his eyes shining.

"Yes. Just hold on - stay there." Lance left his room, silently running downstairs to the kitchen. Soup - that would only take a minute and a half in the microwave. But that wasn't filling. There was some leftover pasta in the fridge - that would be good. He could make hot chocolate, and there were some fresh buns on the counter. What else could he get?

In less than five minutes Lance started back upstairs; carefully balancing the tray in his arms piled high with food. Pit's was already sitting up, waiting for Lance to come in with the food.

"Oh, thank you, thank you…" Pit said, grabbing the bun and eating half of it even before Lance could place the tray on Pit's stretched out legs, "This is more than I thought you'd bring."

"There's plenty more, so just ask." Lance simply watched Pit devour every scrap of food on the tray, never having seen someone so desperate for nourishment before.

Once he had finished, Pit curled up in Lance's bed and sighed, "I wish I could stay here."

"You can, I'm sure. I'm going to get my mom and dad and have them call the cops. Whoever Tavor and Kara are, they can't get away with this."

Lance was about to leave when Pit's grubby hand snatched Lance around the wrist, "No!" Lance turned around, seeing Pit's eyes wide with fear, "You can't! Anything but that!"

"Pit, it's not your fault this is happening, so -"

"I know it's not my fault, but you can't call the cops. If you do, then I would have suffered for nothing," Pit whispered, eyes starting to fill with tears again.

Lance looked back at his friend, quiet for a minute before sighing and sitting down on the edge of the bed, "Alright, I won't tell anyone on one condition - you have to tell me everything, right here and now."

Pit looked at Lance, unsure what to say, so Lance continued, "That means where you come from, how you're related to the Greystones, why you're here, and what they've done to you."

The younger angel by six months looked away, dropping Lance's wrist in the process. "Turn on the computer," Pit whispered. Lance seemed confused, but did as he was asked. "Open up the internet," Pit said next. Lance did so. "Now go to images and look up Icarus."

Lance did so, and what he found shocked him. He had heard of the two generals dying a few months ago, but of course never really knew them - or so he thought. Alone most people probably wouldn't have picked it up, but looking back and forth between Pit and the computer screen Lance picked up on the resemblance - Pit looked incredibly like Lucian and Sora. The resemblance was uncanny.

"How…what?" Lance whispered, looking back at Pit.

"Check the articles," Pit whispered.

Lance searched for news, and he read some of the articles talking about the couple's death. They had died protecting their home, they would be greatly missed - _and had left behind an eleven-year-old son._

"It…it can't…how are you…?" Lance looked at Pit, who looked back with sad blue eyes, the same color as Sora's. "Are you…?"

"Yeah, the Greystones only made me take their name so no one would know. My real last name is Icarus and…I've been an orphan for over six months now," Pit said sadly, choking back tears.

XXXXXXXXX

"Sayonara!" Kirby said to Pikachu.

"Pika, Pika!" The Pokémon replied.

"…I don't get it…"

"I do!" Jigglypuff said, walking up to the pair, "Jig, Jig, Jiggly?"

"Pika-Pika-Pikachu!" Both Pokémon burst out laughing while Kirby just stared in confusion.

"Your Pokémon talk is odd. I mean, saying your name over and over again? How can you tell what the other is saying?" Kirby said.

Jigglypuff giggled, "Tone of voice, body language - and lots of other things that I don't think you'd ever get."

"Probably not. Say, do you think Marth and Roy are coming back?"

Pikachu shrugged, "Dunno. Master Hand hasn't said anything about it."

"He says he'll tell us once the final list is made up. We should have another try-out coming tomorrow, actually," Jigglypuff replied.

"I thought Princess Peach was coming," Pikachu said, scratching behind his ear with his tail.

"Not this week. Something's going on back at the Mushroom Kingdom. She'll be here next week."

"Ok…then who is it?" Kirby asked.

"Oh, some Great King of Evil or Dark Lord or something of the sorts. And a princess," Jigglypuff replied.

"Lovely. Well, I'm off to bed now…did anyone get a reply from Pit today?" Pikachu asked, looking back at the other two Smashers with the thought.

"I don't think anyone has," Jigglypuff replied, a little sad, "I hope he's alright…"

XXXXXXXXX

Lance listened carefully while Pit told his story, only nodding at certain points and not interrupting until Pit was finished. "So you don't even know of what fortune your relatives are talking about?" Lance asked, looking down at Pit.

Pit shook his head, "I have no clue. My family wasn't poor, but we weren't that well-off either."

"Have you ever seen the will?" Lance was surprised when Pit nodded, "When?"

"A few months ago. I asked about it, and Tavor showed me. Perhaps I don't know too much about wills but it looked legit to me. And it clearly said in there that if I left before I turned 18, I lost everything." Pit sighed and looked up at the ceiling, "I don't know what else to do. I can't leave and I can't stay."

"Couldn't you get a lawyer or something?"

"I don't know where to go to hire one and I can't afford one. And I don't know where the will is stored. Unless I could produce that it'd be useless to try. Besides, with that centurion on their side, I doubt the matter will ever go to court anyways."

Lance looked at Pit and slowly took the younger angel's hand, "Don't give up, Pit. There's gotta be something I can do…" Both angels were quiet for a moment, and then Lance smiled, "Well, if nothing else I can at least give you a meal once a day. You can have my lunch."

"What?" Pit asked, sitting up, "Lance, I appreciate the offer, but -"

"But nothing! I'll eat when I leave for school and I'll eat when I get home. Those are practically guarantees for me. For you though, it's not. And…" Lance walked over to his desk and dug around in one of the drawers. He eventually located his digital camera, and holding it out for Pit to see he continued, "I can keep all of the evidence so your uncle can't get to it."

"Oh! That's great! But…will it help?" Pit nibbled lightly on his lip, looking at the camera.

"Sure! With enough evidence you're sure to be able to get everything changed so you can go free. But…" Lance sat on the edge of the bed again, fiddling with the camera, "It's hard to say how difficult it will be to set you free."

"You're forgetting about Emily, the centurion. You do realize what a living hell she could make for you and your family, don't you?"

"I don't care about her!" Lance snapped, "Nobody deserves to be treated the way you are right now. And as your best friend," Lance said, chin up, "It's my duty to protect and help you."

"Best…friend?" Pit managed a small smile again, "I don't think I've ever had one of those. But I'm glad I do now."

Lance patted Pit lightly on the shoulder before turning up his bedroom lights, "Take off your shirt and let me get some pictures of those wounds."

Pit obeyed, slowly peeling off the dirty t-shirt and Lance couldn't help but wince at all of the marks that covered Pit's chest and back. His body looked more injured than healed.

"Hold still," Lance said, zooming close and getting good shots of all of the wounds above Pit's waist. "Anything else?" Lance asked once he got all of the pictures needed.

Pit shook his head, "Not right now. Just above my waist lately, so it's easier to hide everything."

"Well, ok…" Lance moved to Pit once the younger angel tried to get up, "Whoa! Where do you think you're going?"

"Back to hell, of course," Pit said, a little shakiness in his voice, "I'll get punished if I don't go back."

"And you'll freeze to death if you do! You're spending the night." Lance stomped his foot on the ground when Pit shook his head, "I mean it! I won't let you leave."

"I'm an army kid, Lance. I was trained to fight. You can't beat me," Pit said slowly.

"Maybe when you're healthy but you're weak right now. I stand a chance," Lance countered, holding his ground, "You're not leaving my room tonight. You'll go home in the morning." Lance crossed his arms, drumming the fingers of one hand against his skin, "How long does it need to be before you're declared a runaway and your relatives get the fortune?"

"Without permission for me to leave, 24 hours," Pit replied.

"So there ya go - it's only been an hour and a half. You've got plenty of time to stick around and heal up." Lance's voice dropped to a whisper, "Wouldn't you like to spend at least one safe night?"

Pit looked down for a moment, and then nodded, "I guess…I guess you're right."

"Good. You take the bed," Lance said, heading back to his closet, "I'll sleep on the floor."

"Are you sure?"

"You're the injured one. You need to be the most comfortable." Lance dragged out his sleeping bag from the closet, shoving a couple of movies and old toys to the side to unroll it, "Just hand me a pillow, will ya?" Pit handed one of the two green pillows to Lance, who dropped it at the head of the sleeping bag, "I'm gonna have to turn off the heater now. Are you warm enough?"

"Yes," Pit replied, curling up underneath the thick blankets, "And…and I just don't know how to thank you, Lance."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something." Lance turned the knob on his wall until the lights went out, "Go to sleep Pit. You'll need all the rest you can get before you have to go back to hell."

"Alright…" Pit rolled on his side, trying to get some pressure off of his hurt body, "Night."

Lance slipped into the sleeping bag, fighting an internal struggle on whether or not to tell anyone. If Pit was right, then he couldn't get anything from his parents if he left his relatives. And he'd still be an orphan and have to go live somewhere else; perhaps somewhere worse than where he already was. If they could contact Palutena, then Pit could appeal to her and get away, but with the war…_"I can't tell. Pit will be left without anything or anyone to support himself during the next six years until he turns 18. Even if he got a job, he couldn't rent an apartment or anything to get out. He needs to stay in school, but without that money he probably won't be able to go into university then…I guess the army is an option when he's 18, but will he want to join after his parents died that way? Pit's trapped…I just wish we had some more help…"_

"Lance?" Pit whispered, rolling over to face his friend.

"Yeah?" Lance whispered back.

"I thought of a way to repay you."

Lance shrugged, "You don't have to worry about that right now. Just get some sleep."

"At least hear my idea."

"Alright…go for it."

"…Would you like to meet the fighters from Super Smash Brothers?" Pit couldn't help but chuckle after Lance rolled over, eyes wide with surprise.

_**Because you never know when you might need to say 'duck' in Japanese. That's the animal duck, by the way. Special thanks to Tweaks for the Japanese words! **_

_**From now on I'm going to try and update every two weeks (twice a month) to get the story moving on faster. I'll have to see.**_


	12. Secret Power

Lance was awakened early the next morning by someone walking close by his head. Rubbing sleepy eyes the blonde angel managed to yawn, "Where do you think you're going?"

Pit stopped in his tracks, originally heading for the window. Slowly he turned around, clenching his toes beneath his socks and barely able to look his friend in the eye, "Home, Lance. I have to go back."

"Are you sure?" Lance replied, quickly standing up and stretching his white wings, "Don't you think there's any chance we could get the police? Even a small chance?"

"So fucking what, Lance? They'll just put me in foster care and I'll probably end up somewhere just as bad. Or an orphan home, or whatever! Nothing will work," Pit muttered, sitting down on the carpet, "Nothing at all."

Lance looked over at his clock; it was only five-fourteen in the morning, so nobody else in his house should be awake. "Sorry I mentioned it. I just hoped -"

"I know, I know. I wish there was an easy way out too. But with Emily in command, there just isn't. If I knew where Palutena was, I could run back to her, but she's gone underground because of all of the fighting."

"Will you join the army, then? That'll be a good escape."

"I don't think they're desperate enough to start drafting twelve-year-olds, Lance. It'll be years before I can do that."

Lance sighed and kicked his sleeping bag, "There's got to be a way, Pit. Maybe my family can adopt you. Or you can go stay with the Smashers."

"Tavor will never let me stay with you. If I get the invite to the Smashers, then I think I'll stand a chance."

"But doesn't Tavor need to give you permission first?"

"Probably. But since Master Hand is apparently really rich, maybe…" Pit whispered, a small smile forming on his face; his blue eyes gaining a touch of light, "Maybe he can _bribe_ Tavor to let me go! That way he gets his money and I get my freedom - the treasure won't matter anymore!"

"Yes!" Lance cheered, clapping his hands together in excitement, "That's it! You just have to get in contact and ask him to help you out! I'm sure that will work!"

"I…I don't know if it will…" Pit said, slowly standing up again, "But I have to try."

"Hold on a sec, Pit. I can't let you go home like that." Lance pointed at Pit's socked feet, "You need shoes, and a jacket."

The younger angel shook his head, "I can't. Tavor will wonder where I got them from and I'll get in more trouble. It's not worth it."

"You can just dump them somewhere outside before you get in. And I'm giving you breakfast too."

"Well…" Pit looked outside at the cold morning, and then back at Lance, "Ok."

Less than five minutes later, Pit was ready to leave. Lance had taken an old jacket of his as well as a pair of sneakers; luckily the two were about the same size so Pit was able to fit. His hurt wings were kept tightly tucked underneath the warm jacket, with two slits in the back covered by the fabric so his wings could go in and out of the coat. He had filled his stomach with food, eating slowly as his body wasn't used to being full anymore, and had a small plastic bag with a few snacks for later.

"Are you going to be ok?" Lance asked as Pit began to open the window.

"Ok as I can be given the circumstances," Pit replied.

Lance grabbed Pit's arm just as the younger angel was about to let go, "Be careful, ok?"

"I will." With that, Pit flew down to the sidewalk and began to head back towards his current 'home', only daring to look back once to see Lance still watching him. The older angel's eyes never left his friend's back until Pit had rounded the corner and disappeared.

With a small sigh, Lance lay down on his bed and rubbed his eyes, knowing that he'd never get to sleep well again. Thank the goddess it was Saturday - he'd have time to get used to this weight on his shoulders.

XXXXXXXXX

Pikachu snuggled under his covers, refusing to acknowledge the fact that winter had come to the Kanto region. With the next tournament just on the horizon, Master Hand had cancelled the first one to fix up the Base, interview more new fighters and get everything set up without having the added pressure of new fights going on. That didn't bother the fans as much as the fact that the videogame was coming out before the actual tournament fights were aired. The actual dates were still being contested, but Master Hand said he'd let everyone know as soon as he could.

So everyone had said their goodbyes, knowing that they'd see each other soon, and headed back to their homeworlds. Pikachu and Jigglypuff had arrived back in Kanto late last night - just in time to enjoy the first snowstorm of the winter season. Pikachu lived just outside of Pallet Town, while Jigglypuff made her home by Mt. Moon. While they spoke with other Pokémon, they preferred speaking with each other - having the ability to learn human languages was an incredibly rare gift, and made things a little awkward.

Thinking about all of this while lying in bed with his eyes closed, Pikachu was startled when he heard the phone ring. Immediately Pikachu's hand reached out for the phone by his bed, hitting the white base and sending the device onto the floor.

"Hello?" the caller said, the 'Talk' button pressed when the phone hit the floor.

"Ugh…" Pikachu leaned out of bed, keeping his feet on the mattress while he stretched for the phone, refusing to get up. His muscles ached as he reached as far as he could, his fingertips barely touching the white phone.

"Hello? Pikachu, are you there? Are you ok?"

Finally managing to the brush the phone into his hand, Pikachu lifted the phone to his ear and replied, "Yes?"

"It's about time! What took you so long?" Master Hand spoke from the other end.

"Oh nothing," Pikachu replied, beginning to slide off of the bed, "What's up?"

"How long does it take you to get to Johto?"

"Johto?" Pikachu asked, confused for a moment, "Oh yeah! The closest way for me would be to take the path from Viridian, I guess…no; probably the Magnet Train in Saffron."

"Could you make it over to New Bark Town today?"

"Today?" Pikachu twisted slightly on his bed to check the time; 8:47. "Uh, maybe, if I hitch a ride. Why?"

"I've been getting reports that a Pichu can speak human over there. People have been requesting that she joins the next tournament."

"She? So it's a girl?"

"That's what's been said. Besides, the female population around the Base is quite small…"

"I get it," Pikachu interrupted, digging his toes into the mattress as the tips of his ears touched the carpet, "Where is she?"

"Somewhere in New Bark Town - I'm not sure of the exact location. You'll have to ask."

"'K. I'll go find her."

"When you do find her, challenge her to a battle. See how good she is. If she's not as good as you think she ought to be, take her under your wing for a little bit and she if she gets any better. Don't give up immediately, ok? She's technically…how do you say it? A 'baby Pokémon'."

"Got it," Pikachu replied, his ears starting to bend against the floor, "I'm on it."

"Thank you very much, Pikachu. I'll see you at the next tournament."

"No problem. See ya," Pikachu hung up just as he finally slipped off of the bed and hit his head on the ground, "Ow." Pikachu then rolled into a somersault and sat upright, tossing the phone back onto his bed, "Johto, huh? That's a whole new world for me! I'm pumped for this!"

XXXXXXXXX

Pit scrambled over the wooden fence at the back of the house and landed in a soft snow pile. Shivering once again, Pit pushed his way through the two-foot deep snow to the back glass door. With trembling hands, Pit pushed down on the latch, relieved to find out that it was open. The house was dark, with only a thin light from the bright snow outdoors illuminating the room. Pit's breathing was incredibly loud in the hushed building.

After carefully depositing the borrowed jacket and shoes in an empty box in the pantry, Pit slowly started up the stairs; the floorboards squeaked every few steps. He was trying very hard to be quiet but unfortunately Kara had better ears than a rabbit. Pit was right at the door leading to the stairs to the attic when the master bedroom's door opened, and Kara bustled out.

"Where were you?" the woman snapped, with pink curlers in her hair and wearing a ratty pink robe.

Pit sighed and turned around, carefully avoiding Kara's gaze, "I went to a friend's place. I was cold."

"Did you tell him anything?"

"No."

Kara strode forward, reaching Pit in seven large steps. She grabbed a handful of feathers and yanked down, removing two more from Pit's damaged wings, "Then how did you explain that?"

"I said I was attacked, and with no one at home here I went to him," Pit gasped, the stinging pain of the lost feathers adding to his weariness.

The woman was quiet and let go of Pit's wing. The younger angel tucked his wings back to protect them as Kara raised her arm up and struck Pit's left cheek, then his right, then his left again, all in complete silence. Pit didn't make a sound as she struck him again and again.

Kara was panting as she hit the younger angel, from the exertion and rage. Pit simply stood there with solemn blue eyes, accepting the punishment without a word of protest. She hated those eyes - hated every little thing about him, from his looks right down to the way he just kept quiet while he was beaten.

"_I know you want me to cry out," _Pit thought as Kara continued, _"But I will not give in. I am stronger than you - I know for a fact that I can beat you! Every little bit I resist will help. I will not give up. I will beat all of you. I have help now. I will win!"_

After one final strike, Kara let her hands drop to her sides. Still panting, she swiped a drop of sweat running down her forehead and pointed to the stairs, "Go."

Pit left without another word, and Kara stalked back to her room, quietly shutting the door behind her. Nobody disturbed Pit for the rest of the day.

XXXXXXXXX

Pikachu swung his feet from side to side, looking around the Magnet Train. After talking a Pidgeot into flying him to Saffron City, the Pokémon had caught the next train, which would arrive in Goldenrod City in the Johto region.

While on the train, Pikachu questioned why throughout his six years of life he had never bothered to check out other regions. It's not like he couldn't catch a boat and visit one whenever he wanted - he just didn't. Jigglypuff had never been anywhere but in Kanto either, but when Pikachu asked her to accompany him she had declined, saying that she had some business to do near Cerulean instead.

"Goldenrod! Goldenrod! The accent is on the 'o'!" The intercom blared over the noise of people and other Pokémon, and Pikachu rushed to the front of the train to disembark before some nutcase, hyperactive trainer attempted to capture him. Pikachu pouted when he saw the map in the train station, as New Bark Town was a long ways away. It would take some time to get all the way over there.

"_Unless another bird who flies at Mach 2 is around…"_ Pikachu thought, walking absentmindedly around the city and nearly bumping into a trainer.

"Whoops! Sorry!" Pikachu said, backing away from the boy.

"Squirtle!" a Squirtle replied, which Pikachu easily translated as, "No harm done!"

"Hey, you're Pikachu!" The trainer said, kneeling down to Pikachu's height, "You can really talk, can't you?"

"Yep," Pikachu replied, inwardly glowing a little with the idea that his fame had spread this far, "Say, you wouldn't have a Pidgeot, would you? I need to get to New Bark Town today."

"Pidgeot was on our team back in Kanto, but since we got here we've been doing other things," Squirtle cut in before his trainer could reply.

"Never mind," Pikachu said before the trainer could speak up, "I mean, I would pay you and everything, but since you don't…"

"Don't worry!" the trainer said, letting Squirtle jump onto his back, "I've got something just as good." With a smile, he grabbed a Pokéball from his waist and called out, "Come on, Charizard!"

XXXXXXXXX

"It's got to be at least two in the afternoon," Pit said softly to himself as he checked his body, looking for any signs of frostbite. The afternoon sun was shining in, a few mouthfuls were left for Pit's lunch - but nobody had come and woken him up, whether to punish him or make him work or some other reason. Usually he was forced to wake at six or earlier, but he had been allowed to sleep for a long time today.

The trapdoor was locked, so Pit had nothing to do but pace around the attic or lie down on the mattress, bored and confused. Time passed slowly as Pit drifted in and out of consciousness, letting the hours slip by with few cares.

"_Shouldn't I be in trouble?" _Pit thought as he began to fall asleep again, _"What's taking them so long to punish me?"_

XXXXXXXXX

Link strolled through the castle gardens on Epona in the early evening, watching as the many servants tied ribbons and hung electric lights on the plant life in the garden. Lots of the technology Link had grown to really appreciate in the Base - such as running water and electricity - had only just arrived in Hyrule. Many places still didn't have it, but the castle did, and they were glad to show off their good fortune in time for the Christmas season.

"_Interesting how worlds can be so close together yet but centuries away in technology,"_ Link thought, watching the little lights begin to twinkle. Epona suddenly leaped forward and began to run along the snow-cleared path, and Link only slowed her down as Princess Zelda came into view.

She was dressed in a warm coat and furs, appropriate for the princess of Hyrule. The two armored guards at her side smiled as the Hero of Time came to a stop in front of them before dismounting. "My lady," Link said, half sincere and half jokingly, offering the princess a small bow.

Zelda let out a small laugh, appropriate for a princess, as she gently stroked Epona's nose with a white gloved hand, "Ah Epona, how do you manage with your master?" The horse whinnied as a response.

"We do very well together, thank you very much," Link said.

"I'm sure you do," Zelda replied, patting Epona softly and then looking at Link, motioning for him to follow. Normally Zelda would have to be protected by guards and wizards and whatever fighters happened to be around and available, but when Link appeared they all could disperse (after all, alone he was able to do what the entire army could not!)

"Looking forward to fighting at the Base again?" Zelda asked as the two Hylians and one horse walked through an unoccupied part of the garden. The princess' walk was the same as before, with small steps that made her look as though she was floating over the cobblestone path, but now her shoulders were relaxed and her voice had changed; in Link's presence Zelda didn't feel the need to act completely like a princess anymore.

Link nodded as Epona nuzzled his cheek, "It's good practice in case evil rears its head in Hyrule again. You can only train so much with wooden posts and wild creatures before it all becomes the same."

"But I thought you said the fights were becoming a little boring?" Zelda remarked, with an eyebrow slightly raised in confusion.

"Well, more fighters are coming in this time around, and there will be new items and stages. It'll be lots of fun. I'm anxious for the time to arrive."

"But don't you like the holidays?" Zelda asked, reaching into a pocket in her coat and bringing out a small silver bell on a red silk ribbon, "It's such a joyous time of year."

"Of course," Link replied, watching as the princess attached the bell to Epona's saddle, "And I will be spending Christmas in Hyrule - after all, the tournament doesn't begin for some time."

"Excellent," Zelda said briskly, taking a few steps away from Link, "That gives us plenty of time to practice."

"Practice for what?" Link asked, shaking the silver bell and listening to the soft chime before looking back at Zelda. Without any warning she sent a Din's Fire at him, and the Hero of Time had to duck to avoid being burned. "Hey!"

"Where do you think I was for the past few days?" Zelda laughed; louder than when she was surrounded by other people and had to keep her princess image shining, "I stand a chance of being accepted into the next Smash tournament too. We might as well practice a little against each other, don't you agree?"

"Well, I don't know," Link said, grinning at the princess, "I really don't want to be executed because I attacked her Royal Highness."

"Don't be silly, Link! You know that I won't let that happen." Zelda let the fire disappear from her hands before placing them on her hips and tilting her chin up, "You're just scared that I'll beat you."

"Oh, you're _so_ on now!" Link replied, drawing the Master Sword and pointing it at Zelda, "Let's go!"

XXXXXXXXX

A loud bang startled Pit awake, and he quickly sat up and looked over at the trapdoor. It was incredibly dark now, with the sky covered by thick black clouds. The only light came from the trapdoor, with most of it being blocked by Tavor's thick skull. He motioned for Pit to follow, and slowly the young angel obeyed.

The hallway was lit up, but the rest of the house was dark. Tavor had roughly gripped Pit's right arm, digging his chipped nails into the pale skin and leaving half-moon imprints behind. After a short pause to allow Pit to put his shoes on, the two went outside to the car, and Pit was forced into the backseat. Tavor didn't even wait for Pit to buckle up before starting up the car and driving.

"Where are we going?" Pit asked, watching the blurs of the streetlights go quickly by. The car's clock only said it was ten at night, but Pit's stomach declared that days had gone by since he had last eaten.

"You'll see," Tavor said in a harsh voice, and then fell silent once again.

After twenty minutes, Tavor pulled down a side street with warehouses on either side. Seven minutes more, and Tavor drove into a parking lot with about fifty other cars and did just a sloppy parking job as any of the others. Tavor and Pit walked towards the dimly illuminated employee entrance, crunching snow beneath their feet and shaking off the big flakes of snow covering their shoulders. As they approached the building, Pit could hear loud shouts from within, but before he could pause and think about what was going on Tavor grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.

In the orange-lighted room a crowd of men and a few women were gathered around something in the center, yelling, laughing, drinking and betting. Beer bottles were being handed around and the contents swallowed like no tomorrow, and as the crowd got drunker the wilder they became. Tavor dragged Pit over to the side to a man behind a counter, ignoring Pit who was attempting to see what everyone was looking at. "I'm placing him in," Tavor muttered, shoving the young angel forward. Pit looked up at the man, who was about in his mid-forties, dressed simply in black and with a small pair of glasses.

"He's small," the man said in a high nasal voice, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"He's fast," Tavor corrected, "And he's trained."

"Trained for what?" Pit asked, but he was ignored.

"What would you like?" The man asked.

"The toughest thing you've got," Tavor replied, and he added when the man stared at him with a shock expression, "Yeah, that's it. Put him up against it."

The man simply nodded in understanding and scribbled something down on a notepad, gesturing for Tavor and Pit to enter a gray door behind him. Tavor placed a hand between Pit's wings and pushed hard, causing Pit to eventually stumble forward and go through the door.

XXXXXXXXX

Pikachu watched as a Cyndaquil, Totodile and Chikorita chased each other around Professor Elm's laboratory. The electric Pokémon yawned and scratched behind his ear; it was pretty late and Elm wasn't doing anything to calm the hyperactive Pokémon down.

"I can't wait for Kathleen to pick me up!" Cyndaquil giggled, rolling around the room, "We're gonna win the Johto League, ya know!"

"Well, Katie and I are going to become Pokémon Contest champions!" Chikorita cheered, skittering around the tiled floor in excitement, "I was born to perform!"

"Martin is going for the Johto League too - watch your back Cyndaquil, for we'll make a great team!" Totodile laughed and chased after Cyndaquil.

Pikachu stared at the young Pokémon, never really thinking before about what it would be like to be taken in by a trainer. As a talking Pokémon he was protected by law from capture, so he was free to go and do what he pleased (to an extent, of course). These three were so excited, having met their prospective trainers that day, which meant Elm was so busy helping the new partners out that he had no time to contact the talking Pichu.

"Well, at least I get to spend the night," Pikachu said, yawning and curling up on a window seat, attempting to ignore the loud starters. Two seconds later, however, Totodile pounced on Pikachu's biteable tail.

Five seconds later, Pikachu had to explain to an angry professor why, exactly, a crispy-fried Totodile was on the floor and why it was 'yes, _very_ necessary to lock the other two Johto starters up'.

"_Worth it,"_ Pikachu thought as he was scolded, _"Totally worth it."_

XXXXXXXXX

Pit couldn't believe his eyes as he looked around the room. At least two dozen young angels, aged anywhere from about seven to nineteen, both boys and girls, were chained against the wall. All of them were dirty and wearing clothing in need of repair. The younger ones had tear streaks on their grimy cheeks - the only parts on their bodies that were clean. A few of the kids were crying, confused and hurt, with long red scratches and dark bruises marking their small frames. The teenagers were different - the older the angel, the bigger the change. The preteens still cried a little, although they seemed to be crying more because of the pain rather than their situation, while the older teens were completely silent with dead eyes, waiting for whatever was to come.

The angels were thin and tired, chained by both ankles to the wall by thick metal chains. Pit was so shocked by the whole thing that he had no time to protect himself. He was quickly forced to the ground about a quarter ways through the room and tied up with the rest of young angels before Tavor smirked and walked away. Pit yanked at the chains, quickly finding out that it was useless and then began looking around for something to pick the lock with.

"Don't bother, kid." Pit looked to his left at another angel, who seemed to be about seventeen, "Even if you can break free, there's only one exit. You'll be caught, beaten and brought back here in no time."

Pit studied the other angel, noticing the thinning black hair, which once must have been raven-colored but had now faded to a soft charcoal. His gray eyes were tired and lonely, having given up on anything good in life years ago. Both his red shirt and black sweats were ripped and grimy, and a long red scratch marked his right cheek from the corner of his eye to his chin. Pit could see numerous other bruises and cuts along his arms, as well as his bare feet. The older angel's wings were heavily damaged, with patches of thin skin showing through the rows of dull gray feathers.

"What's going on here?" Pit asked, taking a chance with the only being in the cold room that seemed to acknowledge his presence. Some of the other kids had glanced up when the door opened, but most stayed in their own little worlds, acknowledging nothing.

"Fights, kid," the other angel said, chuckling sadly and pushing with his sore palms to a more upright position. Pit could see the scars that had developed due to years of wearing the cuffs around the boy's ankles.

"Fights? What kind?"

"Many kinds - either adult on adult or kid on kid. You just pound at each other empty-handed until one or the other gives up. That's why we're here," the black-haired angel said, gesturing to the chained children, "We're entertainment."

"What? What? That…it can't be!" Pit shook his head and looked around, his heart beating wildly in his chest, "How can such a thing happen?"

The other angel snorted, "The police are too busy looking for people who move plastic turtles than to give a shit about us."

"Excuse me?"

"That's how I got here. I moved a plastic turtle. Sure, my family's car was broken into, my bike was stolen and my friend was physically assaulted, but none of that overrides moving a plastic turtle that belongs to an elementary school. The police didn't even come out and check most of the time when something happened to me."

"What kind of punishment is this? Being forced to fight? That's crazy!"

"My parents didn't do this to me. The principal of the school did. Basically what happened is that my friend and I thought, as a joke, we'd move the plastic turtle the school crossing guards set up like, two feet. So we did, and although nobody and nothing was hurt everybody freaked out. My friend and I then had to go meet with a police officer and the principal to apologize, but once they saw we weren't sorry the officer held us at gunpoint and led us to the principal's car. Then the bastards sold us here."

"You're kidding me! Didn't anybody bother looking? Wasn't anyone suspicious?"

"I wish, kid. The officer and principal said that we never showed up and denied everything. That was almost three years ago, and here I am still. I've been forced to fight ever since."

"Where's your friend? Didn't you guys try to get away?"

"We did try, kid. And we almost made it. But some little fucker ratted our attempt out and we were caught again. We stood no chance against ten healthy men. After they beat the fuck outta us they took us to one of their houses and talked about what to do." The older angel's voice became choked, yet he still continued, "My friend…his name was Michael…he was hot, you know, and I mean that simply from an onlooker's viewpoint. Lots of girls wanted him, hell, even some guys - lucky them Mike was bi. Not that I cared, but I guess at some point that had gotten out and around, so while we huddled on that stinking carpet side by side, one of the men took out his dick and said, 'Let's have fun with the pretty one, shall we?' You can guess what happened then."

Pit slowly nodded, feeling the bile rising in his throat. He had been here perhaps five minutes, and that was five minutes too damn long. Why would Tavor bring him here in the first place anyways? For the money? That didn't make too much sense…

"Goddess, that was the worst thing I ever saw. They made me watch one of my best friends get fucked before my very eyes. He was screaming when the first guy fucked him; bawling by the third, and then fainted after the last. After they had finished, somebody picked Michael up and took him to a bedroom to rest. I was afraid they'd do me next, but instead they hustled me outside and drove me back to the fighting rings. That was the last I ever saw of him."

"Wow…" Pit whispered, "So…I don't mean to be rude, but is there a particular reason why you told me all of that? I mean…I'm eleven, you know."

The older angel chuckled, not letting one tear fall throughout the whole story, "In this place, nobody's innocent anymore. I just tell people the story because I want to know if Michael is ok."

"I'm sorry," Pit sighed, "I've never seen your friend."

"It's ok," the angel sighed as well, slumping against the wall, "I keep asking. Eventually somebody will know him. We get rotated and move a lot. If Michael's still around, I'll find out." The angel then looked at Pit, "So what about you, kid? What's your story? I'm guessing you haven't been here long, otherwise you'd be on it already. We pass around our stories, just in case if one of us manages to escape they can name the rest of us captives. So far though, that hasn't happened."

"I didn't even know this place existed until tonight," Pit said, "My uncle's fucking crazy, that's all."

"There's one in every family."

"By the way, what's your name?"

"Mine? It's Aaron, although most people call me Ace. Yours?"

"Pit."

"That's an odd name."

Pit rolled his eyes, "I get that a lot. It actually means, 'yellow or gold'; not 'a hole'."

"Alright then, chill kid. So, why are you here?"

"Honestly, I don't know. It's just that…it makes no sense."

"Lots of people's stories don't make much sense. Who'd ever guess that turtle-moving was the worst possible crime, for example?"

Pit let out a small laugh, "Point taken. You see…" Pit told Aaron his story; at the start nobody else was interested, but once Pit mentioned who his parents were ears perked in his direction. A flurry of questions came immediately afterwards.

"What were they like?" one boy asked.

"Does your treasure have lots of jewels and gold?" an eight-year-old female asked next.

"Why would Tavor take you here if he wants your money?" a teen girl put in.

Pit held up his hands, "Honestly, I can't answer a lot. My parents were just…my parents, you know. I didn't know too much about them as captains. And as for the treasure…" Pit shrugged, "I have no idea. No idea in hell."

XXXXXXXXX

Emily only had her bedside lamp on as she dug through the pile of papers on her desk, carefully searching every one to make sure she didn't miss her prize.

Finally locating the rumpled piece of paper, Emily sat on the edge of her bed and read the few translated lines again,

_For when the light and sky come together_

_Come forth from the heavens divine_

_Will be a child; hope lies inside_

_Treasure and power will always be with him_

_For when sixteen years have fled_

_Then it shall arrive_

_And all the bells will _

"_All the bells will _what_?" _Emily thought, tossing the paper onto the ground in disgust. The translator had said that it was a rough translation and not entirely finished, and when translated there could be key information missing from the poem. Nevertheless, he had done all the he could currently do and gave the translation to Emily, who struggled in vain to understand the cryptic lines. There were parts other than this one; many mentioned an unseen dark force that could - and would - destroy much of the world, but that wasn't what interested Emily. What got her attention were the parts about the hero in the tale becoming fabulously rich - correction; _always_ being fabulously rich.

And she had, what she thought, to be undeniable proof that the hero in the poem was Sora's child, Pit.

It seemed almost too coincidental that Sora, after months of trying, would finally become pregnant on the night of a lightning storm, as mentioned in the tale. Pit was born on the first of January, also written down in the poem. He had developed perfectly and easily learned things, just like the little hero in the tale as well. Many events that happened in the story happened to Pit as well - breaking an arm and not shedding a tear, easily being able to fly, the war, his parents both being captains and then killed…

"_There's no doubt. It's him."_

But where was the wealth? One section in particular Emily practically drooled over was the one about a cavern filled with riches beyond one's wildest imagination; gold and silver and precious gems of all sorts, a king's ransom a million times over. The one problem was that it was all Pit's. Only he could get to the riches.

Emily growled at the thought, wishing she could trick the little angel into shutting himself into the cavern, and that no genie would be there to set him free. With her translator hastily scribbling down phrases with her stalking in the background, it was possible that he made a mistake. But Emily wasn't going to think about that; after all, the poem mentioned that the child would always know of his destiny - and his treasure.

"So why doesn't the little fuck hand it over?" Emily snarled, gnashing her teeth and stomping around the room. She kicked the paper over to the wall before getting into bed and roughly pulling the chain on the lamp to turn it off.

A few minutes later, once Emily's breathing became soft with sleep, Star quietly moved to the window, having sat on the roof of Emily's house and listened to the centurion's mutterings. Carefully opening the lock, Star slipped inside Emily's bedroom and made her way across the floor.

Emily muttered in her sleep, but did not awaken as Star slowly opened the bedside drawer and removed a small object. After carefully depositing it into her cloak, Star left the room and shut the window behind her, leaving no traces of her presence.

XXXXXXXXX

Only a half-hour had passed since Pit had been brought into the chained room, and two muscled and tattooed man came to fetch him. His feet were unchained but a strong grip was kept on his shoulders, preventing him from running.

Pit was hustled back into the main building of the warehouse, and shoved through the crowd into the center. There a small pit had been constructed of hastily set up five-foot high metal fences, and Pit shuddered to see many were stained with blood. A chain link roof in the shape of a dome gave the prison an extra five feet of height. A small gate on one side was opened and Pit was pushed in. The gate was shut and locked, and Pit was trapped inside.

Tavor stalked over to the shaking young angel and hissed, "Your prize tonight is you might be able to live."

"What?" Pit managed to squeak out before Tavor turned back into the crowd, "Wait!"

Some words were shouted by an announcer, but Pit didn't hear a thing. Instead on the other side a wooden box was carried in by a man. The box was jumping and hissing, and whatever was inside was not in the least bit happy.

"What do I do?" Pit asked out loud, watching the box shudder and rattle. The man quickly dropped it and ran out of the cage, making sure to lock the door behind him. Catcalls and bets began coming in, for both Pit and the creature in the box.

"Kill it!" one man called out.

"Before it kills you!" a woman added.

"What's in there?" Pit gasped, noticing the wood on the box beginning to break.

"A Reapette," a cloaked woman said, coming to stand behind Pit.

X

Star could feel the stone she had taken from Emily begin to shudder. Pit was panicking, she knew - and the stone could sense it. It was small and clear, with a tiny bow and arrow in the center done in blue and gold. It was only a few inches wide, so it was quite easy to hide.

"_Stay calm, little one,"_ Star thought as she watched Pit back away from the hissing and spitting caged Reapette, _"You can do this. You are meant to."_

X

The wooden crate shattered, and the Reapette rose up to float about a foot off the concrete floor. It looked like a Grim Reaper, but a dark blue instead of black and smaller; about the size of a five-year-old child. The creature looked around the room and hissed at the crowd, holding up its short scythe.

"I - I - h-have t-t-to f-f-f-i-ight t-that?" Pit stuttered, completely terrified. He had been trained a long time ago to fight a few demons, but here he was completely unarmed and weak right at the start. He didn't stand a chance against that thing.

"You can beat it, Pit. Just relax." The woman behind Pit had spoken again.

"Relax? How the fuck can I relax when I have to take on that thing?" Pit pointed at the Reapette, which was currently trying to jam its scythe through the bars to attack the crowd gathered around.

"Patience, little one. You'll understand in a moment."

Pit didn't get a chance to ask, as the Reapette had given up in frustration, but now noticed a small and vulnerable angel trapped inside with it. With a hiss, it lifted its scythe up and lunged at Pit.

The young angel jumped to the side, barely avoiding having the scythe slam straight into his heart. Pit ran to the other side of the small arena as the Reapette struggled to free the scythe from between the bars. Once it managed to do so, the Reapette turned around and came at Pit again, who squirmed out of the way. The scene repeated itself about four times, and the crowd was getting rowdy. This was _boring_! With nearly the entire crowd completely wasted, they were too drunk to realize a real child and real demon were in the same cage - they thought it was all faked leaving Pit at the mercy of the monster.

"_Goddess, help me!"_ Pit thought as he dodged for a fifth time, his heart beating wildly in his chest, _"If there's anyone there that can help me, please! Anyone at all! Give me a sign - or better yet, give me a weapon!"_

X

The stone began to glow brightly and heat up - although not too hot as to make touching it uncomfortable. The stone then began to vibrate, and Star could feel the power coursing through the small rock.

"_Good idea, little one. I believe your wish will be granted."_

X

A bright light appeared in front of Pit, stunning everyone in the area. The Reapette hissed and backed away, while the drunks covered their eyes as the light was too much to take. Pit shielded his eyes a little but still watched, while the mysterious woman behind him didn't even much as flinch.

Two golden rings suddenly appeared on his left arm, just below his elbow. Pit was only able to glance at them for a second before the light caught his attention once again; it began to take shape, morphing and twisting into a beautiful weapon. It seemed to be two swords fitted together, but Pit knew without a doubt that it was a bow. The bow was perfect for his size, with sharpened golden edges and a blue and gold pattern in the center.

The bow slowly floated towards Pit, and he reached out to grab it. The polished wood in the center fitted smoothly into his scarred right palm, as if the bow was made just for him. Pit couldn't help but stare at the magnificent bow, a shining weapon full of amazing power.

"Wow…" Pit whispered, having forgotten about the Reapette and the crowd around him, "Just…wow…" He had never seen a better weapon than this bow. It was absolutely incredible…and he was holding it!

"Pit! Watch yourself!"

"Huh?" Pit snapped out of his wonder and noticed that the Reapette was heading for him again. As if he had done so all his life, Pit stepped back with his left foot so his feet were almost parallel and raised the bow up so the top of the wooden handle was in line with his eye. With his left hand he reached forward to draw back the seemingly non-existent string - but the golden rings moved from his arm to the bow, allowing him to pull back a thin magical thread. The rings shone for a moment and an arrow made of blue light appeared which Pit held back and carefully aimed. The rings kept the arrow perfectly straight, allowing Pit to get a good shot.

All of this had taken less than a second, while the Reapette moved towards him. Pit no longer felt tired or hungry while he stared down the Reapette - the bow held so much power and was lending its power to him. Light and goodness flowed through his veins, as well as justice - the urge to wipe out all of the darkness in the world. The passion in his heart was so strong there was no possible way he could lose. Pit felt no fear. He would continue to fight until he won.

The Reapette was almost upon him before Pit decided to let loose the arrow. The brilliant bolt of light shot through the small ghostly demon and disintegrated into its body. The Reapette stopped in mid-charge and let out a shrieking wail of pain, and not anger. It tried desperately to regain focus, but the power of light was just too strong. It staggered above the ground, dipping down and muttering demonic words under its breath.

Pit decided to finish it all off, and armed another arrow. This one again shone brilliant blue, its light stunning the crowd with the magic going on before their eyes. Pit felt quite content knowing that the Reapette was going to die and everything was going to be alright now. He carefully aimed the arrow and let it fly.

It was another perfect shot, landing exactly where the first one had. The Reapette gasped, arching its back with the pain. The light was now too strong for it to take, and it let out another small cry before disappearing in a small puff of smoke, once again banished to the Underworld.

The crowd suddenly became quiet, now speaking in hushed tones, whispering and taking small glances at the young angel. Pit held the bow out in front of him, still amazed by its appearance, but let out a startled cry when it began to glow again, just as when it had appeared. "Wait…" Pit gasped as the bow began to disappear, "Why was this given to me?" Pit didn't receive an answer, and the bow vanished in a ball of light.

With the power of light and his adrenaline gone, Pit felt exhausted. He sank to his knees, gasping for air. His wings shivered with forgotten fear as he now acknowledged what he had faced. "Why…why did this happen?" Pit whispered to himself. He looked behind him, but the cloaked woman had vanished.

A rough hand grabbed his shoulder and Pit was yanked to his feet by the same two men who had brought him here. Tavor was staring at Pit as they lead him back to the other young angels, muttering under his breath about how it couldn't possibly be true.

XXXXXXXXX

Fox simply couldn't sleep. He wasn't quite sure why - after a long day of chasing the remains of Venom's army and shooting ship after ship down, he had been going for sixteen hours straight. He was exhausted, but not sleepy. After a wasted hour of tossing and turning Fox finally got up and headed to the bridge of the Great Fox.

He stayed there for a few minutes, quietly watching the many stars and planets of the Lylat system twinkle in the darkness of space. Often weeks would go by before Fox would go home and visit from the Base, other than when there was a crisis - one, for his teammates, and two, because he missed the solemn, peaceful view of space, and flying through it.

"Couldn't sleep, huh Foxy?" Fox turned around, and a small smile formed on his face when he saw the familiar grumpy falcon that he called one of his best friends.

"Yeah…same with you?" Fox asked as Falco walked towards him. The falcon nodded, coming to stand beside Fox at the bridge.

"I'm just thinking about the next tournament, I guess," Fox said after a minute of silence, "As much as I love piloting, I love the fights and other Smashers too. Gives me something to do in dead periods like the one. You guys don't need me to take on these army remains. They're too easy to defeat."

Falco snorted, "There are just thousands of 'em left, that's all. Might as well be swatting flies - it's worth just as much time as this."

"Except that these ships can rally together and attack other places, while flies just buzz around your head."

"Flies can spread diseases too."

"Not as fast as mosquitoes."

Falco sighed, "You know what I mean, Fox. It's getting old."

"I know, I know. But there's nothing else going on."

"Except the next tournament…which is when?"

"Not sure. It hasn't been decided yet. I'll know for certain when my papers arrive."

"Do you…" Falco looked back at the vast, sprawling space around them, each twinkling star sending its light from millions of light-years away, the planets either teeming with life or intent on destroying everything. "Do you think I stand a chance of getting in?"

"I would think so," Fox quickly answered, not wanting Falco to dwell too much on the thought, "I mean, you're really good and you did a good job at the tryout."

"Still, we share pretty similar fighting styles. Don't you think that will matter?"

"Dunno. We're not entirely the same, though. I move faster than you and your blaster stuns while I do rapid fire instead. I think Master Hand is more focused on getting more fighters than caring whether or not they're too similar. You should be ok."

"So when will we find out if I get in or not?"

"Late December or early January would be my guess. We won't know the whole cast until we get to the Base, though."

Falco let out a yawn and stretched, letting his arms slowly fall back to his sides, "Lucky you. You're guaranteed a spot in the next tournament. You don't have to bear this wait."

"Yes I do! After all, you keep complaining about it!" Fox jumped back to avoid being hit by Falco.

"If you're going to act this way, maybe I should just stay here," Falco growled as Fox twisted out of his reach.

"I'm not gonna let myself be beat up just so you feel better," Fox replied, blocking one of Falco's punches. Falco used his other free hand to reach around and pinch Fox's arm. "Ouch!"

"I wasn't going to strike you, ya know," Falco said, stepping back before Fox could counter.

"That still hurt!" Fox said, mockingly rubbing the tender spot.

"You will never last in a fight if you complain about a small pinch."

Fox rolled his eyes and grinned, crossing his arms, "I do very well for myself in Smash Brothers, thank you very much. And I know you can too."

"Aw, thanks Foxy," Falco said with a healthy dose of sarcasm, looking back at the dark matter around them, "Say, do you have any other idea of the new fighters?"

"Sort of," Fox said, a little surprised at the sudden change of topic, "Villains are allowed to join this time around, as long both them and the hero promise not to attack or scheme against each other at the Base. I know Bowser and Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom are going to be in, and I'm sure Zelda from Hyrule will be too. Another Pokémon probably will join, and Master Hand wants some of the lesser known fighters from around the entire universe to come in as well. Then there's you, and Pit, and Marth and Roy…"

"Whoa! Who are the last three?" Falco asked.

"Huh? Oh, Pit's an angel from Sky World, and the other two are swordsmen from…some place they didn't know the answer in English and I will fail to pronounce in Japanese."

"An angel? So Pit's dead?"

"He's not dead! His species is just called angels because of their wings and they live in the clouds. Like I am a fox and you are an 'ahiru'. He's a great kid, really. He's not much older than Ness, so I don't see why he can't join."

"Well that's good…hey, wait a second - what did you call me?" Falco asked glaring at Fox as the canine quickly left the room before the falcon got the bright idea to try out a translator.

XXXXXXXXX

Quietly the two muscled men sat Pit back down in his original spot, chaining his feet together again. Pit tried again and again to summon the magical bow, but he just couldn't do it. The power was beyond his reach now.

Pit slumped against the cold wall, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He had felt so…so _free_ when he held that bow in his hands. All it had taken was two beautiful shots to destroy that monster…the whole weapon was a masterpiece, and Pit had lost it.

"You aren't hurt at all!" one kid said, staring at Pit with wide eyes.

"I thought you were going to fight a Reapette!" another added.

"I did," Pit said simply, "And I won."

Everyone was shocked, looking at one another with stares of disbelief. "They were saving that thing for a rare occasion," a teen boy said, "How did you manage to beat it empty-handed?"

"I didn't. I had a bow. Two shots and it was dead," Pit replied, clenching his fingers together, wishing he could feel the polished wood between them again.

"They gave you a bow?"

"No, it just…appeared. It's complicated," Pit sighed, "And I don't want to talk about it." Somehow the bow was just too important to him…it was a vital part of his heart and soul that he wanted to keep safe, even though it currently wasn't with him.

Aaron sitting beside Pit shook his head, "Man kid, I never guessed that could ever happen. Looks like you've got quite a bit of luck on your side. Maybe you'll get out of here."

"Maybe you will too," Pit replied, trying to be a bit cheerful.

Aaron shook his head as the door opened, and three people entered. The two men who had fetched Pit went to collect two other children and lead them outside while a woman in her late forties moved to stand in front of Aaron. She was holding a key in her right hand. She placed her left hand on her hip and smiled down on Aaron, "Feel like getting warm in my bed, Ace?"

Pit glanced over at Aaron as the older angel shrugged in response. "Whatever you'd like, mistress," he solemnly replied, tucking in his wings as she said she'd be back in a minute once the car was warmed up.

"That's who I was sold to," Aaron said calmly, "My third owner, actually. The first two were guys and they hit me a lot. She hits me too, but not as often…instead I get to double as a sex toy for her."

Pit sighed deeply and clutched his hands to his head, trying to call back the feeling he had when he held the bow. "Why does it have to be this way, Aaron? Somebody has to do something!"

"We move around too much for anyone to find out, and the few police officers who know are paid to look away. Forget it, kid," Aaron said as Tavor entered to collect Pit, "No police force or army could stop this kind of slavery. What we need is a _real_ _hero_."

XXXXXXXXX

It was nearly two in the morning when Tavor and Pit made it back to the house. Kara and Boris were fast asleep and didn't awaken as they came inside. After stamping the snow off his shoes, Tavor kicked them off and dumped his jacket on the floor, leaving it all in a pile for Pit to clean up.

Pit sighed and quickly set everything straight, hungry and wanting to go to bed. Tavor simply went to the kitchen and said nothing to Pit, so the young angel hurried upstairs to get some precious rest before morning.

X

Tavor sat silently in the kitchen, drinking a cup of instant coffee. The bow had come to Pit. It had to be true. It had to be.

After a few minutes, Tavor rose from his seat to call Emily. After two minutes, the centurion answered.

"What the fuck? It's two in the morning!" she screeched, her voice off due to being half-asleep.

"It's true, Emily," Tavor said simply, still in awe by what he had seen, "The bow appeared. I saw it with my very own eyes."

Emily snapped awake then, her voice slightly stuttering as she rushed with excitement, "Did you get it? Did you get the Sacred Bow?"

"It disappeared after Pit fired two shots. I didn't get a chance. But it was there - I saw it!"

The centurion growled in frustration, her fingers digging into table the phone was set on, "He has to be in true danger for it to appear. That Reapette made him panic, so it came to his aid - do you know how difficult it will be for that to happen again? Reapettes are next to impossible to capture!"

"It doesn't matter whether or not we get it tonight! I saw it - it's true; he's the one mentioned in that translated crap you have. If it came to him once, it'll come to him again - all we have to do is be patient."

Emily grumbled, "Alright then. Keep him in your sights and keep making him afraid. It will come again. I know it will."

"Of course," Tavor replied, "I will watch him. We will get that bow sooner or later."

"Sooner rather than later," Emily finished.

XXXXXXXXX

It was Sunday morning in Sun City, and true to its name the sun was shining brightly down on the glittery snow, making the whole city look like a winter wonderland. Children were already playing outside with their parents sitting inside, watching their children run and shout but happy to stay indoors with the warmth. A few stronger souls went out to ski or snowboard or skate, planning to spend the day outdoors and only coming in at the end, panting and breathless, stomping snow from their shoes and asking for hot cocoa.

The Greystones did not like winter. It was cold and made travel difficult, so Tavor, Kara and Boris was perfectly content to stay inside and watch television, making Pit do all the work again.

The television was very loud, and from across the house it blared in Pit's ears as he dried all of the dishes in the sink and put them away. Some game announcer was yelling and screaming about some question or whatever (honestly, it was so loud it was impossible to figure out one word of what the guy was saying) and there were bells and sirens and whistles. For once Pit was glad to be able to work, as long as he was far away from that horrid noise.

"Pit!" Pit winced as Kara's scratchy voice overpowered the loud noise from the game show, "What time is it?"

"Eleven!" Pit yelled back, trying to avoid entering that loud room.

Kara screeched again, "We're going to be late! Let's go!" Kara ran up the stairs as Tavor appeared in the kitchen to speak to Pit, "Finish up the laundry, clean all of the bedrooms and make sure dinner is ready before we get back. Have you shoveled the walk?"

"Yes I have, and I will. Go," Pit replied, placing the last dish away and shutting the cupboard doors. All morning he was thinking about the fighting arena, and all Tavor had said when he asked about it was that they weren't going back to it and to shut the hell up. Left confused and with no leads on the strange place, Pit kept thinking about it as Kara and Tavor left to some movie they wanted to see. Boris stayed behind and changed the channels; to Pit's relief he lowered the volume as well.

"Pit, make me popcorn and bring me a Coke, will ya?" Boris called out.

"Yes, your majesty," Pit grumbled under his breath, digging through the fridge for a soda. The sight of the food made Pit's mouth water, but if he took even a little bit Kara would know; she'd tell Tavor and then Tavor's fists would tell Pit. It was better to wait until he was offered food…or he had to be really sneaky about it.

"The first letters have been sent out, and more are to come!" an announcer said as Pit entered the room a few minutes later carrying the bag of popcorn and the can of soda. Pit handed the snacks over as the report continued, "Yes folks, you heard it right from us! Due to popularity, the next Smash Brothers tournament has been moved to the end of January, with the first fights being shown at the beginning of March. The letters asking each Smasher to send in their confirmation of attending are currently being received by the lucky fighters who've been invited to participate. And as each new Smasher replies with a 'yes', we'll be right here to tell you the news!" Pit stopped to watch as the camera zoomed back from the angel reporter dressed in an orange snow parka and panned over to two small humans, one wearing a blue parka and another wearing a pink parka, surrounded by at least eight other reporters of different races. "The Ice Climbers here have just been accepted into Super Smash Brothers Melee! Can you please give us your comments on this life-changing experience?"

"Well," the one in the pink parka started, "Popo and I are very excited for this. We'll be the first team to ever fight together consistently, but that means we'll have a major disadvantage when we're apart to make it fair."

"Nana's right," Popo continued, "We're going to try our hardest to do well in the tournament, and have lots of fun. We also hope to gain a couple more fans while there. We're not well known outside of our homeland!"

"And how will you guys be played in the videogame?"

"A player will be using both of us, but depending on your color pallet you'll only be able to control me or Popo. The other Ice Climber will be controlled by the game, but it'll often do what you tell it to," Nana said.

"Basically the computer takes over whenever the two of us get separated," Popo added.

"Very nice!" The reporter turned back to the camera, "From icy mountains back to the clouds; I hope everyone in Sky World will support the Ice Climbers in the next tournament! Good luck to Popo and Nana!"

"They're already being sent out?" Pit whispered as the show cut to commercials, "Will I end up getting one after all?"

"Pit! Get back to work! I don't want you here!" Boris snapped, wiping his runny nose with the back of his hand.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm leaving," Pit growled, heading towards the basement.

A few minutes passed. Boris grabbed another handful of popcorn and stuffed it into his mouth as the doorbell chimed. "Pit!" Boris yelled, "Door!" Pit didn't respond. Boris swallowed as the doorbell rang again, "Pit! Answer that!"

But Pit was down in the basement, and with both the washer and dryer running he couldn't hear a thing. Boris grumbled and stood up, muttering as he answered the door. "What?" Boris snapped as soon as he slammed the door open.

The postman jumped at the rude tone, but resisted the urge to say something rude back. "Pardon me, but is Pit here?"

"Why does it matter?" Boris grumbled.

"I have a very important letter for him," the postman said, holding out a thick letter with a shiny symbol stamped on it. "It's essential that he gets this immediately."

Boris knew that symbol. He was quiet while he thought of his cousin, the pretty angel that everyone loved. He was too trusting, though. Pit actually believed that Tavor used to hit him - Tavor had never slapped Boris in his life, but it was a good lie to get the younger angel's sympathy. But that letter contained the hopes and dreams of so many kids in the universe…and Pit, of all people, with fate having already decided to give him glory, honor and light, was going to get this too.

Not if Boris had anything to do about it.

"He lives here, but he's not home right now," Boris quickly answered.

The postman smiled, "Ah, then I shall return later today."

"No!" Boris called out as the postman was about to leave, "He's gone to a boarding school and won't be home for months!"

"Really?" the postman said eyes wide with confusion, "That's not what I was told!"

"Dad didn't really mention it to anyone, but the place won't take packages from outside sources - only from the family."

"Oh dear! But Pit must get this letter! It's very crucial he reads it as soon as possible!"

"No worries!" Boris said, smiling, "I'll mail it for you. He'll get in a couple of days, no problem. That wouldn't be too late, would it?"

"Well, no…"

"Good! So…" Boris reached a hand out, "It's cold standing in the doorway."

The postman looked at Boris, and then down at the letter, "Well…I suppose…"

"Look, he's my cousin, ok? I'll make sure he gets it!"

"Alright then," the postman decided, handing the thick letter over to Boris, "Send it as soon as you can!"

"I will," Boris replied, smiling sweetly and waving as the postman left. He then slammed the door shut and dashed upstairs. The letter was very heavy and made of an expensive paper, with the special symbol stamped on shining brightly in the morning sun.

Pit was now vacuuming the master bedroom and didn't see Boris chuckle as he lifted his mattress and placed the letter underneath. "Let's see how much it'll take before you give in, Pit! How will you feel when you miss this?"

Boris then let the mattress drop, leaving the letter unopened, unlikely to ever be seen by its true owner. The shining rainbow Smash Brothers symbol, the symbol of strength, freedom and friendship was going to be kept in complete darkness from the one fighter who needed it the most.

_**That turtle story is true, actually. My car was broken into, a bike was stolen from my place, I was threatened with a knife, my friend's house was broken into and she was physically assaulted before, but what do the police care about? Us attempting to move a plastic turtle two feet. No joke (except neither of us got sold into slavery). Damn turtle movers are the cause of everything wrong with society - capital punishment should be introduced everywhere just to destroy them!  
**_

_**Believe it or not, I had finished this weeks ago. "Why didn't you post then?" you ask? Because the stupid computer went ahead and deleted my files before I had a chance to post or back them up. FFFFFFF-!**_

_**Since then I haven't been able to get myself to type out everything all over again, but finally I told myself to suck it up, sat down and wrote. Well, it's done! Again! Yippee! **_


	13. Hit and Miss

It was close to midnight. Outside, the soft snow fell onto the already covered ground, a dull blue from the moonlight. Christmas lights in a rainbow of colors twinkled around the roof, each window and the trees outdoors. Inside his office Master Hand sorted through the day's mail, anxious about the final few conformations. He would have to draw the deadline date soon, but at the same time he didn't want to leave anybody out of the tournament who really wanted to join.

He was happy when he read the first letter. It was from Pichu, who had just received Master Hand's letter and was happy to join the tournament. _"That makes 20…"_ Master Hand thought, reading through the information Pichu had sent, _"And everything's in order so far…"_

_**KA-BOOM!**_

The Base then began to tremble with the sound of the loud explosion. The windows rattled in their panels and the lights flickered on and off. A couple papers on Master Hand's desk fell to the floor. Master Hand sighed after the minor earthquake was over, _"Everything except my brother's brain, of course."_

"Everything's fine! No need to worry! It's not like all of the Bobombs went off or something…hey, those Lip's Sticks make really pretty colors when they burn!"

"Crazy Hand…" Master Hand muttered, heading towards the arena's item storage center, "What now?"

Items of every kind were piled around the room. Some were already stored in the containers that would allow them to be transported to the arena; others were still in boxes on the ground waiting to be sorted. A number of items were now completely burnt to ashes or on fire and slowly melting away. A slightly charred and dazed left hand floated around the room, sweeping the piles of ashes up neatly. "Isn't the fire pretty?" Crazy Hand asked absentmindedly, "All pinks and yellows and greens…"

"Put it out, brother. We need those items for the tournament."

"Yeah, yeah, ok…oooooh, party balls! Yay, confetti!"

Master Hand sighed and went back to his office, leaving his brother in charge of the items again. "At least his heart's in the right place…" the hand muttered, cleaning up the office and sorting through the letters again. Pichu's conformation letter was placed in her own new file, and Master Hand opened the next two letters. One was from Snake, who wrote that he was unable to participate, and the next from Falco, who was able to join.

After carefully checking and rechecking the files, Master Hand noticed that only two fighters had not yet replied - one was Captain Falcon, who was busy right now and probably just hadn't got around to replying yet, and the other from Pit.

"_It's been weeks since I sent that letter out…what is it now, the 19__th__ of December? Honestly, I can't wait much longer for a response! He must have gotten the letter by now!" _Master Hand drummed his fingers on the desk, _"Maybe he lost the letter. I'll send him another one, but after that there's not much else I can do. Perhaps I can call his family and work something out…hmm…"_

XXXXXXXXX

Over a month had passed since Lance had discovered Pit's secret, and true to his word Lance kept his mouth shut. At lunch they sat away from the other students, so nobody would see that Pit continually had nothing to eat, and that Lance would give the younger angel all the food he had. Lance's parents were a little worried to see their son continually come home hungry, but Lance kept his lips sealed tightly and continued to provide food to his friend.

"Only today, and then it's Christmas vacation. We won't have to go back to school until January," Lance said at lunch that day. The two were sitting at the top of one of the stairwells, away from the chatter of the other kids.

Pit nodded slowly, his eyes turning down towards his graying wings. Looking at an angel's wings was often a good indicator of that angel's health, and with a small glance at Pit's you could tell something was wrong. He'd have to start bleaching the feathers soon, or risk being discovered. Then the feeling came over him again, and he shuddered. That strange feeling had been following him around all day, and wouldn't leave.

"Are you ok?" Lance asked.

"Please don't remind me about that vacation. While it means freedom for everyone else, it means starvation for me," Pit whispered, slowly ripping off the wrapper surrounding a package of cookies.

"Oh goddess, Pit, I'm sorry. I guess I'm still getting used to your situation."

Pit weakly smiled, "It's been seven months for me and I'm still not a hundred percent used to it."

"Well, um…so is anything happening for you for Christmas?"

"Yes, because a family like mine would celebrate a holiday based on a guy nobody on our world worships."

"Pit, it's just the name that sticks around. Here we don't have the religious influence. But that doesn't mean you can't celebrate."

"Oh, I'll probably just be beaten, starved, and sent to fight more demons from the Underworld. You know, the usual."

Lance snorted and leaned back against the cream brick wall of the school, "If you were anybody else, I'd have to punch you for being so pessimistic."

"Believe me, I wish you could." The shrill sound of a bell was then blasted over the school's intercom. "Lunch is over. Guess we might as well head to woodshop, huh?" Pit tossed the remains of the lunch in the trash and handed the lunch bag back to Lance, "Thanks again for lunch."

"No problem," Lance replied, ignoring his own growling stomach, "I'll meet you at class, 'k?"

The two angels split up, one heading towards an upstairs hallway and the other went down the stairs. The dark shadow that had been watching the pair silently slunk after Pit, following the young angel towards the woodshop.

XXXXXXXXX

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I get it!" Captain Falcon held the phone away from his ear to lessen the pain from Master Hand's long rant, "Don't you have all of my info anyways? Why do I need to send it again?"

"Legal reasons. Now get moving, damn it!" Master Hand snapped.

"Alright, alright! I'll put you on speaker," Captain Falcon said, hitting the button and then scribbling down the answers for the papers Master Hand required.

"Make sure you get everything. I don't want to send you another package. Apparently there's been some trouble with Pit's…"

"What do you mean?" Captain Falcon asked, flipping to the next page in the packet.

"Pit's the only one I have been unable to contact so far. He hasn't sent any reply at all, whether positive or negative. I've sent him another set, but I can't wait much longer."

"Maybe it's his relatives, like Mario said."

Master Hand groaned, "So, Mario told all of you about Tavor, correct?"

"Well, yeah, what do you expect?"

"I guess I'll be unable to punish that plumber for spreading lies now, since that was months ago…I just can't believe Mario would say such things. He's so accepting of others."

"He's also a good judger of character. I'm listening to him. We should actually get in contact with Pit. I wouldn't be surprised if his relatives were holding him back from attending the tournament."

"Great. Mario better _not_ be an evil villain deep down or the whole universe will be in peril," Master Hand sighed, "Are you finished yet?"

"Almost…there!" Captain Falcon threw down his pen, "All done!"

"Good. I'll have someone come and pick that up in a few hours, and before you ask, I will try talking to Pit again. Merry Christmas, Falcon."

"Great! And Merry Christmas to you too!"

Captain Falcon hung the phone up, thought for a minute, and then dialed another number. Once the other hero answered, Falcon said, "Get your voice warmed up. I have a job for you."

XXXXXXXXX

Since 'Arts' classes were required to graduate, many boys took woodshop. Everyone was already working on their respective projects by the time Pit got inside, so he slipped on a pair of safety glasses and got to work as well. The dark shadow hung back near a band saw and watched his every move.

Like the other kids, Pit was making a wooden toy vehicle - an airplane, in his case. So far he had done all of the cutting and was working on sanding the wood smooth - a relatively boring job. It was much better when Lance came in, as then they could talk to pass the time.

However, today was something was bothering the young angel, but Pit wasn't quite sure what it was. It was like…something was waiting for him. Something bad. Pit glanced over his shoulder to the machinery against the wall. The table saw was currently in use, as well as most of the other machines. The only free one was one of the band saws, and for some reason Pit was glad it wasn't in use.

"See something?" Lance asked, and Pit jumped at the sound despite having been surrounded by loud noises the whole time.

"Maybe. I don't know." Pit glanced back over at the saws, "Don't you get a bad feeling from that corner?"

"Mmmm…nope. You're certainly sensitive today. Is it because of…you know…"

"It's not that. It's…something else." Pit narrowed his eyes at the only saw that was silent, "I swear something's over there."

"Sure thing, you nutcase. Nothing and nobody's over there."

"There is, Lance. You just can't see it," Pit muttered underneath the high-pitched sound of machines.

"I've gotta get more sandpaper. Guard my stuff, will ya?"

"Sure thing," Pit replied as Lance left. Pit put his head down on the table to get a better look at his project. Out of the corner of his eye, Pit saw something flicker next to the wall, but once he turned his head, nothing was there. _"But wait…"_ Pit got up, leaving his supplies on the table and headed towards the band saw. The lights from overhead were casting thin shadows on the ground, but…this one patch seemed darker than the rest. Something wasn't quite right here…

"Look, do you need the saw, or what?" Pit turned around to see a girl standing behind him.

"Go ahead," Pit replied, backing away from the dark spot. The girl placed her wood underneath the sharp blade and turned on the saw, just as Pit saw the shadow on the floor begin to ripple. He blinked, and it stopped. Another blink and it was rippling again.

His gut instinct told him to get far away from this place, but his brain couldn't figure out a reason why he should go. Without an excuse, instead of the door Pit went back to his table, passing off the strange shadow as his imagination.

Then the screams began.

XXXXXXXXX

Kara was the only one home, painting her nails a cherry red in the living room. The phone began to ring, but Kara huffed and just ignored it - probably just another credit card company. Sure enough, the phone stopped, and then a few seconds later, started up again.

This happened five times before Kara was frustrated enough to stomp over to the kitchen and pick up the phone. "Hello?" Kara said with a tone of annoyance.

"Good day, ma'am. Is Pit home? This is Master Hand, calling from the Base."

"He's not, and you have no business speaking to him. Goodbye."

X

"Damn it!" Kirby snapped as Kara hung up the phone, his voice returning to normal with annoyance, "Why don't you people have an answering machine?"

He dialed the number Captain Falcon had sent him once again, listening to the annoying ringing of the phone. Kara answered once again, immediately talking about calling the police if he continued to harass her.

Kirby spoke over Kara's nasty words, "Actually, ma'am, I have quite a bit of money and would be happy to pay to speak to Pit." Kirby's mimicking abilities really came in handy over the phone.

Kara stopped her rant, and then softly asked, "How much?"

"_Bingo."_

XXXXXXXXX

_Pit whirled his head around to where his classmates were pointing and screaming. The band saw where the strange shadow had lurked was now engulfed in a strange black fire. Dark flames leaped from the machinery, melting the powerful contraption away into nothing but a pile of ashes. The flames didn't stop there, leaping in tiny balls onto the floor, walls and other machines, beginning to eat them all away like acid. There was no smoke, no scent or sound of flames - just silent black fire destroying everything it came in contact with._

_"Everyone, over here! We must evacuate!" The teacher called out, pulling the fire alarm as the fire quickly spread over the ceiling, floor and walls, engulfing everything and everyone in sight. In a few seconds, the whole room was black, the flames dancing and providing the only source of movement in the room. Everything except the angels burned - instead, the angels were trapped inside a dark world with no means of escape and no vision._

_"We're trapped!" one student cried out._

_"I want out of here!"_

_"I'm scared!"_

_Pit jumped as someone grabbed his arm, but relaxed when he heard the nervous voice. "Pit? Wha-what's going on?" Lance whispered._

_"I don't know," Pit replied honestly, both excited and nervous at the same time. If his bow came to him again, then this terrifying experience may be totally worth it._

_A roar came from somewhere in the distance - in the ball of black fire, it was impossible to judge directions. Kids screamed in fear as the roars continued._

_"Pit! We need to find a way out! Let's move!" Lance gasped, yanking on Pit's arm._

_"No," Pit whispered, scanning the darkness for his bow._

_"'No'? Are you nuts? We're going to die here!"_

_"It's ok, Lance. It just needs to come to me."_

_"What needs to come to you?"_

_A ball of light began to form and take shape, and Pit smiled. "That."_

_X_

_The rest of the school had been evacuated, and a legion had been called in to deal with the demon fire. However, some kind of invisible force was holding the soldiers back, and they pushed in vain at the non-existent walls. Everyone was scratching their heads on what the hell was going on, but nobody had any clue what to do about the class still trapped inside._

_X_

_Pit was excited when he found out he didn't really have to aim. The bow was magical, and if he was off to the side it would head straight towards the demons anyways. The bow was the only thing lighting up the darkness, and Lance stuck close as Pit let loose arrow after arrow and sent the strange creatures back to the Underworld. Blue streaks flew into the dark flames, slashing through monsters and destroying them all with a single blow._

_It was all so quick and easy Pit barely had time to register much. But once the black flames began to recede, his bow began to disappear too. As much as he wanted to cry out, there was no point - he couldn't command the bow to stay with him and it was useless to try and ask it to. Pit slowly lowered his head as the bow covered itself in light and dispersed._

_Lance was staring wide-eyed at Pit, obviously wondering what the hell was up with his friend. Once the flames were all gone, Pit and Lance looked at the room, surprised to see the walls, machines and everything was still completely intact, even though they had seen it all burn. Not a single scratch was left on anybody, but most of the kids were still shaking in fear and clinging to one another._

_"That…that was…weird," Lance said, panting._

_"Weird doesn't even begin to describe it," Pit replied._

_"It was like two minutes of the Underworld! What the hell do you know, Pit?" Lance asked, whispering the last part._

_"Very little. I'll explain later," Pit whispered back._

_The teacher had then found her voice. She cleared her throat and said, "Come on, everyone. Let's get out of here." Slowly the students filed their way out of the room, with only Pit looking back to see the strange shadow twist underneath the band saw and vanish._

XXXXXXXXX

"Pit, wake up!"

Pit mumbled and sat up straight, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. He blinked slowly as the darkness cleared from his vision. The other kids were talking and walking around the noisy room, and one quick look at the band saw showed that there was no shadow present. Just a wishful dream, then.

"Nice work - you fell asleep with all of this clatter. Are you really that tired?" Lance asked, his eyes looking concerned.

"I guess so," Pit sighed, "Just thinking about that bow, again."

"What bow?" Lance asked.

Pit looked around, and then motioned for Lance to follow. The two angels snuck out of the woodshop and walked down one of the empty hallways on the ground floor. In a few minutes Pit had described his adventure with the Reapette, and Lance's eyes had doubled in size.

"Goddess…that's just insane. A Reapette, just like the ones Medusa commands?" Lance couldn't help but shudder when Pit nodded, "But what about that bow?"

"I don't know. It hasn't come to me again. I wish it was here…" Pit sighed, closing his eyes in thought, "I just felt so, so…strong…holding onto that bow. I felt like I could do anything, and that nothing else mattered but defeating that demon. But once the bow left," Pit sighed again, opening his eyes, "The feeling left too."

"It must be special, Pit. A magic bow! Your life is like a play - a tragedy! Parents die, evil relatives, magic powers…"

"I just hope I don't die in the final act," Pit cut Lance off as a group of students passed them in the hallway, "But I would like to know more about that bow."

"If you get attacked, will the bow come again?"

"Maybe. I don't know too much about this. But I do know it's the most amazing weapon in the whole world, Lance. And I'm sure it's mine."

"Then why don't you get to keep it?"

"I don't know. I don't know much of anything."

"I can try the Internet at my place. I'll let you know if anything comes up."

"Thanks. Anything you can find to help me understand will be useful - tell me everything, regardless of how trivial."

"No problem, Pit. I'll do everything I can."

XXXXXXXXX

"His parents loved the army very much; our world needs defending and they need cash. We've always wanted to spend more money on charities…and our family is so large and poor…could you possibly give us 100 billion?"

"_What, bitch? Are you crazy? You selfish fucker!"_ Kirby was yelling in his head, his hand digging into the table. Should he say yes? Could Master Hand afford it?

"_It looked like Pit was hurt;"_ Link had said that one time, _"Like someone had kicked him."_

"_His uncle was horrible. I just know he's a bad person," _Mario had added.

"Hmmm…" Kirby said, using Master Hand's voice, "Well, alright then. But he must be delivered safely, with all of his possessions, to me before you see one cent."

"I suppose that is fair. Just let me talk to him first," Kara replied sweetly.

"_Lying bitch."_ "A few more rules need to be sorted out too," Kirby said, searching his brain for Master Hand's speeches, "Because Pit will be placed under my care, it means I am responsible for him. With his collaboration I can let him start out on new medications or try new medical treatments without your consent. If he needs surgery, I can decide for him whether or not to get the treatment." Ok, so he was making some things up, but Kara didn't need to know that. "Pit can choose whether or not he wants to contact you and you and your family cannot come to the Base without his and my permission. As well, it is up to me to discipline him, if it should be required. You will not have to pay anything for Pit to participate, of course. He will be cared for here and will return at his own pleasure."

"I understand."

"Excellent. When will Pit be ready?"

"A few days, I suppose. Why not come in five days?"

Kirby silently counted in his head, "That's Christmas Eve."

"Well, he doesn't want to spend time here with us, so perhaps he'll be happier at the Base. The other Smashers will be there, correct?"

"Of course," Kirby lied, "They always get together for a Christmas party that evening. I can come and collect him that afternoon." Complete bullshit again. Kirby was getting good at this!

"I'm glad this is all sorted out. Have a _very_ good day, sir. I know I will."

"I will come over on the 24th, then. Good day to you." Kirby sighed as he hung up the phone, rubbing his eyes with his hands. Even though Master Hand had a policy of no corporal punishment, Kirby was a little nervous that the hand might just let that slide for a few minutes to really discipline the puffball. After all, he had just scammed the hand for billions of dollars!

"But if Pit is being hurt, it's worth it," Kirby whispered, "Totally worth it."

XXXXXXXXX

Lance's older sister came to pick him up, and after pleading for a minute she agreed to drive Pit as well. After Pit was dropped off, he waved one last time at his friend and then slowly trudged inside, sighing at the thought of another weekend in hell. If only that bow stayed with him at all times…then he'd stand a chance.

Funny…he actually _wanted_ to get in danger just so that bow would come again. If he could find out what made it stay, then he'd be set! Would Lance be able to dig anything up online?

Inside, Pit saw that Tavor and Boris weren't home yet. That was fine with Pit - he had no desire to see those two anytime soon.

"Pit!" The young angel winced at the voice, but then was surprised to see Kara actually _smiling_ at him. "Good news!"

"What is it?" Pit whispered, knowing that 'good news' to Kara probably wasn't so good for him. Kara was dressed up in a sleek red velvet dress, had her hair put up and even had makeup on. It was much too fancy to wear at home, and it put Pit on edge.

"Come to the kitchen." Kara briskly led the way in, and Pit slowly followed. "Now," Kara continued after they had both taken a seat, "Master Hand called earlier today."

"He did?" Pit perked up with the words. He was surprised the Hand had managed to find him - he had never given out his phone number, and yet the hand had still managed to track him down!

"Yes," Kara confirmed, "He did. Apparently the Smashers like you so much that Master Hand is willing to pay 100 billion dollars for you to participate in the next Smash Brothers tournament."

"WHAT?" Pit shouted, "That's…that's crazy! You're…you're kidding, right?"

"Nope. I told him about money issues and asked for that amount. He said yes."

"That can't be right! He would never say that, ever!"

"He did say that exact amount," Kara confirmed, a note of triumph in her voice, "You'll be leaving for the Base on the 24th."

"That's Christmas Eve," Pit said.

"So? It's not we want you here or that you want to be here. Besides, we're getting so much money we have no need for you. But…" Kara leaned over the table, her eyes growing darker as she got closer to Pit's face, "Do you know what will happen if you tell anyone at all what we've done to you?"

"What?" Pit asked, growing a little nervous.

"I'll explain," another voice said, coming from the front entry. Pit slowly turned around, narrowing his eyes at the familiar centurion, Emily, who had just entered the building.

XXXXXXXXX

"Oh, Kirby! How are you going to cover for that?" Samus' voice held a slight worried tone, "Master Hand is going to be furious."

"I don't know!" Kirby sighed, "But I had to do something. You saw how scared Pit was, and he hasn't replied to the letter at all. His family's letting him go - this is our change to expose what's happened to him! I'll take Master Hand's wrath if it means Pit's going to be safe. So will you pick him up, please?"

Samus sighed, "Oh, alright. I give in. But where will he stay - with me?"

"Link has it covered. Zelda has agreed to reserve a guest room in the castle for Pit, and of course Link will be around. We can pull this off, Samus. It may result in me getting beaten black and blue by a giant hand, but that's happened to me before many times. Even if I get banned from the tournament," Kirby gulped with the thought, "I'll do it for Pit."

"What if Master Hand doesn't have enough money to pay for Pit? He may have to cancel Smash Brothers and send us all home."

"Bullshit! That arena has technology basically seen nowhere else in the entire universe! It's got to have cost way, way more than 100 billion. And think about the Base, and how fancy it is. He can handle the money, I'm sure. Besides, it'll only be temporary until we can prove Pit's been hurt. Then we rip the money away and everything's happy!"

"The lawsuits will be terrible for us cheating to the truth."

"Hello, we're heroes! We have a right to break laws to make other people follow them. All we have to do is get Mario and Link to smile sweetly and back us up and the universe will be putty in our hands. And then there's that other guy, um…that blue hedgehog…people love him too. Get all three together and it'll be a piece of cake!"

"Ok, I get it. I guess there's really no way to convince you otherwise," Samus sighed.

"Yes! Link, Zelda and Captain Falcon are already game for this too. I'll call the others, and I'm sure they'll all agree. It'll be great!"

"Well, since I'm now officially signed up for your guys' crazy scheme I'll help in any way I can. What time should I go?"

"Afternoon, so about 1:30."

"Ok. I'll see you later, Kirby."

"Thanks Samus! You rock!"

Kirby hung up the phone and pumped his fists in excitement, "Oh yeah! This is going great! I can't wait for Christmas!"

XXXXXXXXX

Emily stood next to Pit, dressed in full battle armor of red and gold, complete with a sword at her hip and a long red cloak. It was quite overkill, considering her only opponent at the moment was an eleven-year-old, malnutrition-afflicted kid. Carefully Emily placed a small, black box on the table. It looked normal from the outside - just plain black wood with silver corners and a silver lock, with some sort of silver design on the front. But all Pit could think of was getting far, far away from whatever was inside it.

"So I've heard you've fought a Reapette," Emily said casually. Pit nodded in response. "Do you know what the superior form of a Reapette is?"

"A Reaper," Pit replied. He knew about those because his parents had fought them - they were terrifyingly strong, and difficult to destroy. Larger than a Reapette, and black instead of blue, Reapers carried sharpened scythes that cut through angels just like Death. As well, unlike the other minions in Medusa's army, they could spawn more demons for Palutena's army to fight. All in all, they were bad news. "What are you getting at here?"

"You see this box?" Pit nodded. "A Reaper is trapped inside."

Pit shuddered, staring at the black box, but replied, "Prove it."

Emily than grabbed the back of Pit's head and forced it down onto the box. His right ear was smashed onto the lid, and the box rumbled underneath. A strange, loud hiss came from the box, and it began to shake violently. Pit cried out, but Emily kept his head down as wisps of black smoke began to escape from underneath the lid. The thin tendrils wrapped around Pit's head and snaked down his body, each colder than ice and sending shivers of terror down Pit's spine.

"Ok, I get it! Stop!" Emily then yanked Pit's head back up, and the smoke retreated. "What do you want?"

Emily spoke to Kara instead of replying to Pit, "Where's Tavor?"

"Away," Kara replied.

"Then you'll have to hold his arm down." Kara nodded and stood up moving to Pit's left side. Pit struggled to get away, but Emily's strong grasp kept him in place as Kara held his arm down. In a flash Emily had produced a small kit from her cloak and opened it up. Inside was a fine silver paste and a small carving tool.

Pit's left arm was held so that the underside was upright, showing the thin blue veins underneath. Emily strategically moved in front of Pit's body, blocking his view and preventing his other arm from getting around to pry Kara off. Emily quickly tipped the small, sharp tool in the silver paste and proceeded to copy the symbol on the box onto Pit's arm, muttering something under her breath the whole time.

The procedure took no more than a minute, and then Pit's arm was released. He quickly drew his arm back to take a look. About midway between his wrist and his elbow was the picture. No more than three inches tall and an inch wide, the picture was that of a small skull, with a scythe to the left and some strange words to the right - in the same language that had been on the wall of the cave back at the Smasher's World. Again, Pit could almost read the words, but not quite. Underneath was a pair of broken angel wings.

"What is this?" Pit whispered.

"You and the Reaper are bound now," Emily said, "Tell anybody at the Smasher's Base, or anyone who's visited there or has contact with them, what has happened to you, and you and the Reaper will switch."

"Switch?"

"The Reaper will have your body while your soul will be trapped in the box. Then I'll toss this into the Underworld for some monster to discover, and whatever happens beyond that is out of my control."

"Say what? You can't do that to me!"

"You can save yourself from a fate worse than death as long as your mouth stays shut!" Emily snapped, slamming Pit upside the head, "You know what we want, so you might as well get used to the fact."

"But Master Hand has already agreed to pay you! What more do you want?" Pit then realized he had made a terrible mistake. Emily looked surprised, while Kara was worried.

Emily's eyes then grew an unnatural shade of black as she turned to Kara, "What is this?"

"You wanted treasure, you said. This is much easier! We can be free of -" Kara was interrupted as Emily knocked her to the floor.

"Fool! The money is unimportant compared to what he can get!" Emily's voice was darker, and she whirled to face the trembling young angel, "You are not going to the Base! I will not let you out of my sight!"

"Stay away!" Pit gasped, standing up, feeling the new drawing on his arm begin to burn, "What…what are you?"

Emily snarled, more fitting to a dog than a human, and took a step forward, "You have it. I know you do. So where is it?"

"Where's what?"

"The bow! The Sacred Bow! Where is it?"

"That? Oh, um…I don't know. It disappeared after I got it and it hasn't returned."

"What?" Emily turned around and began pacing, "That doesn't make sense, how could…" Emily then looked up and let out a cry of anger.

While she had been looking down, Pit had fled.

Emily snarled and whispered to the box, "Find him. Don't let him escape!"

XXXXXXXXX

Pit's wings were flapping as hard as they could, but he knew he would be unable to fly for long. The sun was rapidly setting and soon it would get even colder. He had no warm clothing on and had tied his shoes while flying. He was completely unprepared for the outdoors, but he simply couldn't stay here.

Even if Palutena wasn't at the palace, he was going there anyways. Surely someone would recognize and protect him from that crazed centurion. Pit's wings were getting weaker, so he lowered himself to the ground. Panting, he nearly doubled over from exhaustion, but he soon straightened up and began to run. He was close to the city's edge, and there weren't many people out. He just might be able to pull this off!

Something snagged the bottom of his jeans, and Pit fell forwards, letting out a small yelp as his chest made contact with the ground. He pushed himself onto his hands and turned around, crying out when he saw the shadowy hand that had grasped onto his ankle.

"Let go of me!" Pit cried out, tugging at the monster. But the shadow refused to let go.

Pit stood up and pulled harder, desperately trying to get away. Every attempt was futile. Somehow Emily must have sent this creature out to trap him until she got close enough to take him away.

"No! Let go!" Pit tugged again and again, ignoring everything but the monster holding him down. Then he heard the honking of a horn, and turned to see two bright yellow lights heading towards him. There was no time to escape - the monster still held a tight grip on his ankle. Pit braced himself for the impact.

The car slammed into him at a high speed, and the monster hand let go. Pit was sent sprawling down the street, his vision a spray of bright colors before he hit the ground, hard. He rolled slightly and let out a moan, smelling blood - his own blood - before he was caught up in the safety of nothingness and everything went black.

_**Wow, poor Pit. That guy never gets a break! And yes, he'll survive the accident - otherwise this would really be a letdown of a fanfic. **_

_**Short chapter, I know. But at least I updated!**_


	14. Enlightenment

_**Ugh. I'm really, really sorry for taking a million years to update something. I seriously should get in the habit of writing more often!**_

_**Now, as par request from a friend, I will give Luigi and Mario their accents. Yes, I know they have accents - I'm just too lazy to write them in. Picky, picky, picky. **_

Thick, fluffy white snow covered the ground as Samus sprinted across the parking lot to the glass sliding doors. Her ship took up about eight parking spaces, but unfortunately for everyone else there was really no way around that, unless she landed on the roof.

The warm air of the hospital melted the snowflakes in Samus' blonde hair. The bounty hunter wiped back a wisp of hair that had escaped from her ponytail before striding determinedly to the counter. Some of the other angels in the room looked up as she entered, but most were too worried about their own loved ones or themselves than to care about some other-worlder in the building.

A female angel nurse with short brown hair was typing something at a computer when Samus strode up to the desk. "Can I help you?" she asked without looking at Samus.

"Yes. Where is Pit?"

"Who?" the nurse asked, casting a slight glance at the bounty hunter who was getting more impatient with each passing moment.

"Pit Greystone! I just went to his house, and I was told by Pit's cousin that Pit was hit by a car a few days back! His family never told us!" Samus slammed her hands on the counter, making the nurse and many other waiting angels in the room jump, "I'm here to -"

"And you are…?"

Samus was about to snap at that comment, before she remembered what she was wearing. She had left all of her power suits back in her ship and was only wearing casual, 'civilian' clothing - fitted navy jeans and a warm black jacket. Very few people had seen her without one of her suits on, and she had certainly never fought in the Base without a suit. So of course these people wouldn't know who she was.

In a calm voice, Samus replied, "I'm Samus. Samus Aran. Pit Greystone was scheduled to appear in the next Smash Brothers tournament and I was sent by Master Hand to retrieve him."

"I'm very sorry, -"

"_Ms._Aran. I'm not married."

", we do have a young angel by the name of Pit Greystone here, but he is in no condition to leave this hospital."

"Then at least let me see him!"

"I'm afraid not, ma'am. This hospital only allows visits from family members."

"Pit's been to the base before - and in the Smashers' book, that makes him family!" Samus stormed off, shoving two security guards to the side with ease as she pushed open the twin doors that lead to the rest of the hospital, ignoring the shouts behind her.

XXXXXXXXX

"I just don't-a see why you-a let yourself be kidnapped-a by Bowser all the time," Mario sighed, taking off one of his gloves to take a sample of cookie batter.

"Oh, I just feel sorry for the poor guy. He's so lonely!" Princess Peach raised an eyebrow as Mario popped his finger in his mouth. "I just let him take me so he feels better. Besides," Peach added, using a wooden spoon to slap Mario's hand away from the bowl, "It keeps you in shape!"

"Hmph!" Mario replied, rubbing the back of his hand in mock annoyance, "I'm just-a fine without that trouble!"

Peach giggled and poked the red plumber's belly, "You eat so many of my baked goodies that without the occasional adventure you'd become so plump that you wouldn't fit down the pipes anymore!"

"Hey!" Mario replied, as Peach continued to laugh.

"We're back!" A voice called from the front of the castle, and both occupants of the warm kitchen dashed to the hall to see their friends. The entryway of Peach's castle had grown cold from the open door, as Luigi, Yoshi and Princess Daisy came in, stamping snow from their feet. Each of them was carrying two plastic bags filled with food, craft supplies, ribbons and wrapping paper.

"We've got-a all we need for Christmas!" Luigi called out as his brother and Peach came over.

"Yep, yep!" Yoshi added, wearing a Santa hat, "This is gonna be one great Christmas!"

"Well now, you boys can go fix up the tree and presents while Peach and I bake!" Daisy smiled and linked arms with her best friend, "We've got lots to do if we want to give everyone a gift of warm cookies!"

"Don't you want-a our help?" Luigi asked, handing his bags off to one of the Toads in the castle.

"You've helped me so much today, but right now you're needed elsewhere. Thanks so much for offering, though!" Daisy gave the green plumber a quick peck on the check, and Mario and Yoshi couldn't help but snicker at Luigi's flushed face.

As the two princesses went back into the kitchen, laughing at some joke or another, the phone began to ring.

"Got it!" Yoshi called out, dropping his bags onto a Toad helper and dashing to the white phone sitting nearby. "Hello? Hello?" Yoshi listened as the caller on the other side spoke rapidly, and his face began to turn white.

"Yoshi? What's-a wrong?" Mario asked as he and his brother came closer.

Yoshi gulped and finished the call, "I understand. I'll tell them. Bye." After hanging up, Yoshi turned to the twin brothers with saddened eyes, "That was Samus. Pit's been hurt in an accident and is in a light coma. He's not gonna be able to compete."

Luigi gasped, "But…with Tavor -"

"I'm-a thinking that this 'accident' was-a anything but an accident," Mario growled.

XXXXXXXXX

Samus sat at the controls of her ship, not knowing what to do now. She had found Pit's room and stormed in, but when the young angel didn't wake up she became concerned. After a quick glance Samus knew Pit was in a coma and in no way could she take him away from the hospital. There was no telling exactly when he'd wake up, and absolutely no chance that he'd be able to fight in the next tournament.

The bounty hunter sighed, and continued her phone calls. There was nothing anyone could do - Pit would just have to skip this tournament and wait for the next one to come around. If only they all could be sure he'd be ok…

XXXXXXXXX

Christmas Eve - a night that should be spent friends and family in comfort, eagerly waiting tomorrow's joys. In Hyrule, guests from across the land gathered in the castle's ballroom to celebrate the season. The Hero of Time, however, stayed by one of the tall glass windows and stared out at the frosty night.

"Oh, Link," Zelda sighed, making her way away from the crowd and beside her friend, "It's tragic what happened to Pit, but there's nothing we can do. Come now and enjoy the festivities - so many people here want to meet the Hero of Time!"

"I'm sure that was no accident, Zelda," Link replied with a hint of anger to his voice, "Pit needs help." Link stood up straight, and his blue eyes began to flash, "_My_ help, to be precise. I'm going to back to Angel Land to get Pit out of there!"

"You can't!" Zelda called out to Link's retreating back, "How are you going to get there?" She grasped her skirt and ran after the hero who was already in the hallway.

"I'll call Samus. She'll give me a lift for sure." Link started up the stone steps but Zelda caught up to him and grabbed his arm.

"Correction - give _us_ a lift for sure." Link stopped and looked back at the princess. Zelda raised her chin with pride, "Just because I'm a girl and a princess doesn't mean that I can't fight! If you're going, then I'm coming along too!"

Link was speechless for a moment, but quickly regained his composure, "What about the party?"

"Ah, fuck that!" After uttering the curse, Zelda looked around to make sure no one but Link had heard it. Seeing no one, she continued, "It's nice to see some of the people there, but others are just creepy rich guys looking to become king. I'd rather be setting people of fire any day."

The hero couldn't help but grin, "Well, as one of your subjects, I suppose I can't refuse your request."

Zelda gave a playful slap to Link's cheek before shoving past him and continuing up the stairs, "At least you show good sense! Most boys would insist that I stay behind!"

"That's because the princess must be protected," Link replied back saucily, walking in step with Zelda.

"Alright, make fun of my status one more time and you'll pay for it!"

"Oh, really? Well excuuuusssseee me, princess! What are you going to do - slap me again?"

"I'll tell my father that I want to marry you. That way you'll be king and can't go on any more adventures. Boo-hoo for you." Zelda couldn't help but laugh when she saw Link's face - with wide eyes and a gaping mouth, the look was priceless for the princess. "Stop standing around and go get your gear! I'll call Samus and tell her the plan."

Link shook himself out of his shock and followed the princess. "I'm going! I'm going!"

XXXXXXXXX

_Angels were crying all around him, trapped in iron cages set along the darkened hall. The demonic guards, minions of the evil Medusa, stalked the corridors and poked the prisoners with their spears, chuckling at the pained cries._

_But he was not afraid._

_He held the Sacred Bow in his hands now. Strong hands with palms made hard from constant training. He had grown in both height and spirit during the training. His whole body was toned muscle, and he barely had an ounce of fat on him. His wings were snowy white, flecked with golden sparkles that shimmered in the darkness. They were powerful enough to easily keep him aloft for some time. His clothes were a bit dusty from sitting in this cell for some time, but otherwise were in good condition, save for one broken sandal strap and a small tear in his outer white toga. His muscles tensed as one of the guards thumped down the hall._

_He was ready for this. This is why he was born._

_The ugly pig-faced guard turned to toss a piece of bread into the cell, but instead received an arrow of light to the eye._

"_Foolish Medusa," the now freed angel muttered as he released himself from his prison, "This is why you don't let each guard hold a copy of the keys."_

XXXXXXXXX

"Thanks for coming, both of you," Zelda said as she seated herself in the _Falcon Flyer_. While Link had grabbed his own weapons, she had taken the time to slip on her own Sheikah disguise. The last thing she needed was to run around and fight in a fancy dress.

"Well, after I made such a scene at the hospital there was no way they were going to let me back in," Samus sighed while leaning back in her seat beside Captain Falcon, "But there was also no way I was going to sit on the sidelines for this!"

"Having this many fighters won't hurt our chances at all," Link said while fiddling with his gear, "How long will this take?"

"The flight to Angel Land? About an hour and a half. The kidnapping of Pit? Depends on resistance," Captain Falcon glanced back at Link, "Buckle up. We'll be shooting through hyper space soon enough." He continued after the Hylian had strapped himself in. "Master Hand said Angel Land was in a war right now. We could be mistaken for the enemy and shot at."

"I wasn't," Samus added, "I doubt that either side has ships like you do, Douglas."

The male bounty hunter sniffed at his real name but let it slide, "Just as well, we have to be careful. Who knows what kind of monsters are roaming around that land?"

XXXXXXXXX

Pit was awake. A few days ago he had been hit by a car, but now he was awake. No pain. No dizziness. No lasting effects of a terrible accident. Oh sure, he could see the white gauze that covered his wounds, but he knew rather than felt the injuries present on his body.

Besides, it wasn't the pain that had woken him up this night - it was the call. The power of a sacred weapon.

_His_ weapon.

XXXXXXXXX

Captain Falcon could feel the passengers' impatience around him. They were eager to do something exciting and get their adrenaline rushing, even though it would be unlikely that any of them would draw a weapon. That was the downside of having unnatural or rare abilities; if trouble didn't come to you, then you started some yourself.

"We're almost to Pit's city…you guys ready to go?" As if he even had to ask.

A loud crash from the left side of the ship interrupted any responses. There was slight turbulence, and then another crash.

"What's going on? Are we under attack?" Zelda called out.

Link had already unbuckled his seatbelt and was heading towards the hatch that lead to the roof, "We must be! Come on, Zelda!"

The princess quickly hurried after the other Hylian while Captain Falcon scanned his instruments, trying to determine what was attacking them. His eyes went wide when he saw it.

"Get out there and help them!" Falcon looked at Samus with eyes full of surprise, "It's a fucking _dragon_!"

XXXXXXXXX

Other cities had been attacked before; such was expected during a war. He had heard of citizens fleeing the ruins, or dying within them. Never had he expected to be in one of these attacks. The bow's power was already rushing into his veins, fueling him with much needed strength even before the fight had begun. Pit was moving through the halls of the hospital, empty of the usual banter of nurses and patients. Either they had fled or were in hiding - it did not matter to Pit right now. He was spoiling for a fight. In seconds had opened a window and was flying to the top of the building. All he had on was a light hospital tunic and he was without shoes. The power from the bow was what kept him warm.

There wasn't a large army coming towards the city - just enough to be destructive without being devastating. There were no Reapers or Eggplant Wizards or anything truly frightening in this army.

Well, excluding the shadow-born dragon.

Seemingly created out of the shadows and fire of the Underworld itself, the dragon-like creature flew across the sky, roaring louder than a thunderstorm. The creature was completely black except for its eyes, claws, nostrils and the tips of its tail and wings, which were made of fire so hot it burned white. Hot white embers flew off its back and wings as it soared, drifting like snow to the frozen ground. Wisps of black smog curled off of its body, binding the horrible creature together. This was something created with magic and not easily destroyed.

Pit glared up at the demonic lizard, his blue eyes flashing with determination. Then, he stared off at the distance.

Was that a ship flying after the dragon?

XXXXXXXXX

Cold wind rushed past Zelda's face as the _Falcon Flyer_ raced towards its target. The black dragon was only a hundred feet in front of them, and they were closing fast. The burning tip of the dragon's tail swished lazily back and forth in front of them. Was Samus really going to shoot her grappling beam at that thing? Wouldn't she be sent flying?

"_Or is that the idea?"_ Zelda thought to herself as Samus moved to the nose of the ship.

"I wonder what kind of madman summoned that hellish thing," Link shouted over the wind, rather calm about the demon in front of them, "I haven't fought something this big in a long while; not since Ganondorf died."

"You seem rather thrilled about taking this thing on," Zelda shouted back, already slipping a metal chain into her gloved hands.

Link grinned back at her, hookshot armed and ready to fire, "It's in my blood."

XXXXXXXXX

The Komaytos, Kobils and Commylooses were moving towards his post. Arrows made of beautiful sky-blue light rained down from the hospital roof, decimating the creatures. At least he couldn't run out of shots, so it was fine if he missed every so often.

"This is too easy," Pit smiled to himself, shooting another demon, "Why is it that the army is having so much trouble?" At that moment something rammed Pit from behind, making him stumble forward. The young angel quickly whirled around and saw that the little demons had climbed up the other side of the wall. He was surrounded.

"They're not strong…they're just overwhelming. That's the challenge here," Pit muttered, arming the bow again.

XXXXXXXXX

Samus peered through her visor, calculating the time to fire her grappling beam. She was so close…if Captain Falcon could just move in a little closer…perfect! She fired, and the beam of energy latched onto the dragon's tail. The bounty hunter then quickly retracted the beam, pulling herself towards the demonic creature. During the five minutes they had been chasing this thing it had already set a number of buildings on fire. Hopefully no one was hurt, but Samus had no time to worry about these things. She had a dragon to destroy.

Without glancing back to see if Link had followed her, Samus began to run up the dragon's back. Strange spiky balls were being hurled towards her, but a few simple shots from her gun destroyed them all. In a few seconds she was at the dragon's head, but now it had noticed her presence. The head began to shake back and forth in an attempt to throw the bounty hunter off, but Samus dug her heels in and aimed at the eyes. She fired two missiles and was rewarded with a strange cry, but the dragon kept moving even with no eyes. Where was its weak point? Base of the neck, perhaps, or behind the ears? Did it even have ears?

The dragon let out a roar and opened its mouth; Samus could see dark flames building up inside its shadowy jaw. With a quick flick of her wrist the grappling beam swung out and wrapped around the muzzle of the dragon, effectively stopping the attack. Snorts and spurts of smoke came from the jaw of the creature as it began to fling its head around wildly in an attempt to free itself. Samus used her free hand to grab a dark spike sticking out of the dragon's back, her armor protecting her from the rough surface. The bounty hunter's muscles strained with the effort of controlling the creature's head; she was going to lose this battle if Link didn't step it up.

"Hey, hero! Give me a hand, will ya?" Samus grunted, trying her best to keep control of the demonic beast.

"I'm trying Samus! Just give me a second!" Link called back, using his sword to slash away at a number of strange, floating eyeballs. These things were easy to destroy, but there were a large number of them…was Pit ok down there?

XXXXXXXXX

Pit was surrounded by so many of the tiny minions…no wonder Palutena's army was suffering; the soldiers would simply be overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies. Pit refused to give up; he kept notching arrows and firing as fast as he could, but there were just too many for him to handle. Was he going to die the same way so many soldiers did - torn to shreds by little fluffballs? Hell no! But he was getting tired, and he wouldn't be able to fly like this…

Still, these things weren't so tough…maybe he could survive…there couldn't be too many more…

Pit then felt the claws of some creature snatch his left ankle and pull back. He tried to resist the yank, but his energy levels were too low. Down on one knee, he kept fighting. He shot arrow after arrow, but still the hordes of strange creatures kept coming. Things that looked like crabs, red frogs, eyeballs…there were too many for him to handle. He was going to die out here and there was no one who could help him. Claws began to rip at his bare legs while tentacles lashed out at his weakening arms. Now Pit couldn't launch any arrows and was completely defenseless. There was nothing the young angel could do now except close his eyes and wait to die; he was never prepared for this kind of battle. If only he had more time…

Then, with a sudden flash of light, as quickly as the creatures had attacked they were gone. Pit opened his eyes and looked around. All of the demons attacking him had disappeared - disintegrated into nothing. Many remained on the ground below, but he was actually safe. How…?

The young angel looked around without seeing anything unusual. It was only when he looked up that he saw his savior. "You…" Pit whispered, "I know you!"

XXXXXXXXX

A sharp turn to the left almost sent Samus flying off the dragon's back. Only through her grappling beam and sheer willpower was the bounty hunter able to hold on. Link was almost beside her while Zelda had held back to strike at the dragon's wings, attempting to bring the creature to the ground. The _Falcon Flyer_ was zooming along underneath the shadowy beast in case somebody happened to fall; the pilot inside unwilling to risk the death of one of the other heroes.

The shakiness of standing on a moving creature's back made it difficult, but Link had reached the monster's head. In a single clean move, Samus used her grappling beam to hold onto Link's waist while he ventured forth onto the dragon's fiery head. The dragon shook its snout in relief from the grappling beam and then began to charge up another shadow-flamethrower. Link quickly scanned the monster's head, took a gamble and then thrust his sword down hard, right at the edge of the dragon's right eye. "With any luck, that should have pierced its brain," Link called back to Samus.

"Are you sure it even has a brain?" Samus shouted back.

"…No."

Reacting to the attack rather than pain, the dragon roared and began to shake its head up and down. Link gripped his sword, trying to drive it deeper when the dragon looked down. Samus was straining to hold onto Link and the dragon, knowing that if the two Smashers fell it wasn't going to be pretty.

A loud snap made the two heroes at the dragon's head look back at Zelda. The princess of Hyrule had carefully wrapped an iron chain around the dragon's left wing just where it attached to the body. Every time the dragon turned, the chain twisted and tightened. Zelda had pulled with all of her strength, and after that last sharp turn the chain had burst through the outer shell of the wing and cut it right off. Because the creature was made of shadows, it had no bones - only darkness seeping out of the now gaping wound. The dragon was leaning heavily to the left, and now unable to fly they were all heading straight for the ground.

"We have to avoid these buildings - is there any parks around here we can crash into?" Samus shouted over the roars and wind.

"I don't know! It doesn't matter unless you can fly this thing!" Link shouted back, "And I doubt that it's trained!"

XXXXXXXXX

The same woman at the Smasher's Base was floating just a little ways away and above Pit. A dark blue cloak was wrapped around her body, and Pit could just barely see the glowing lights underneath, where her hands should be.

Pit stood up, grabbing his bow in the process as the woman landed and walked towards him. She offered him her hand and said, "Come," in a calm, soft voice.

"What?" Pit replied confused by what she wanted. He couldn't see the woman's face in the dark, only a few wisps of blonde hair curled beneath her chin.

"Come." No change in tone or demeanor. Just the same, simple command that could either lead to paradise or disaster. "Come."

It wasn't like Pit had much to lose at this point. Slowly he reached out with his gauze covered left hand; the right one held his sacred bow. Her warm strong fingers gently but firmly held onto his weakened bandaged ones, like a child and mother reuniting after years of being apart. Pit knew her from somewhere before…

Suddenly he was in her arms, and the woman had leaped off the edge of the building. The pavement rushed towards the pair, but just before they hit the ground something slowed their fall. Pit twisted in the stranger's arms just enough so he could see a pair of white angel wings, glowing with gold sparkles.

"_She has them too? Does that mean we're related in some way?"_ Pit thought as the woman kept moving.

Two legions of centurions had been dispatched to protect the city, and already were driving the demons back. The woman ignored the battle and continued on, past buildings set aflame or crumbling from an attack. Her dark blue boots crunched along broken glass and bits of stone, never slowing to check on anything. Pit huddled against her warm body, feeling oddly safe and loved next to her chest despite not knowing anything about her.

They traveled swiftly through the city, moving too fast for any normal person to be able to do. Within minutes, they reached their destination. A graveyard.

The metal gate swung open and then softly closed behind them as the woman continued to carry Pit into the world of the dead. Because technically Sky World was on top of the clouds, only a few dozen feet of earth was available before one would reach the cloud and topple through. Only the rich were buried like those on the Surface World - most angels were cremated to save on space. It was very quiet here, and the calmness compared to the chaos outside the brick walls was so heavy Pit could feel it pressing down on him like a weight. Yet the woman carried Pit to the very back of the graveyard before he noticed that they were being followed.

XXXXXXXXX

Captain Falcon strained to keep the _Falcon Flyer_ against the falling dragon's body, aiming for an empty patch of land cleared for later construction. If he failed the dragon would smash into dozens of homes and apartments, killing who knows how many civilians. Not to mention that his friends likely wouldn't come out in one piece.

The ground was hurtling towards him quickly while his heart pounded at the same rate. The three heroes on top of the dragon were continuing to damage the shadowy beast in the hopes of truly killing it before they reached the ground, lest it immediately continued its destructive path in a lower altitude.

"Fifty feet from ground level! Moving too fast: crash imminent unless course is altered immediately!"

"Shut up you fucking computer!" Captain Falcon roared back, adrenaline affecting his temper.

"Forty feet!"

Almost there…

"Thirty feet!"

More to the left…

"Twenty feet!"

Right on target!

"Ten feet!"

Captain Falcon slammed on the brakes while jamming the gears into reverse. The less powerful front boosters swapped around and began to push his ship from under the belly of the dragon. As the shadow demon hurled towards the ground, the flames on its side and the back claws slashed the front of the _Falcon Flyer_, causing major damage to the ship but leaving it intact. The dragon slammed into the ground with full force, the speed of the fall allowing it to move a good hundred meters before coming to a stop.

The racer quickly landed his ship and hopped out, running towards the beast to see if the other fighters made it out alright. The dragon had rolled onto its left side and the fires on its body were beginning to go out. They had defeated it!

Samus was the first one to appear, shaking slightly from exhaustion but still in good condition. Link was next with a slightly singed tunic and hair, but otherwise alright. "Where's Zelda?" Captain Falcon asked as Link's eyes went wide.

"If anything happens to her…" Link whispered more to himself than anyone else before rushing back towards the dragon, "Zelda! Zelda!"

A shudder went through the dragon's body, the shadow flames rippling in the moonlight. Then the darkness began to disappear, gently floating away on the calm breeze. Once the dragon had fully disintegrated, the three Smashers saw the princess of Hyrule lying on the ground and covered with blood.

"Zelda!"

XXXXXXXXX

"It is no cause for alarm, little one," the woman said in the same calm voice, "It is only Kitty."

"Kitty?" Pit asked, peering over the woman's strong arm at the tombstones surrounding them. Quietly a dark purple cat with white stripes came from behind one of the tombstones and padded towards them. The cat's back only came up to the woman's knee and was unlike anything Pit had ever seen before.

"She is my eyes for things I cannot see," the woman said quietly while placing Pit on the ground, "As well as a strong friend. Come with me now - do not be afraid."

Pit wasn't quite sure how to respond to that except to follow the woman. The purple cat kept close by her feet as the three made their way to the back wall of the graveyard. The woman stopped and looked at Pit again. "You can only get here if you come straight through this cemetery. No wandering off the path."

"Uh yeah, sure…I got that." The young angel thought this stranger meant the back wall - which of course made no sense since you could approach the wall from any place and it still would be the same wall - until he saw a small carving etched onto the wall of a small bow and arrow, shaped exactly like the bow he was currently carrying.

"What's going on here?" Pit asked the woman, who was still covered by the same dark blue cloak and gave no signs of her intentions.

A small sigh escaped from her lips as the woman reached for Pit's hand and placed it flat against the wall, "Light." The carving began to glow a beautiful blue. Pit snatched his hand back in surprise but stayed put. The glow began to spread across the bricks, forming a shimmering blue doorway that illuminated the dark cemetery. "Do not be afraid, little one. Come with me. You will return soon enough. Come." The strong hand reached for Pit's own, and together they walked inside.

XXXXXXXXX

"Zelda!" Link cried out again, dropping to his knees beside the Sheikah-disguised princess. The white flames had slightly scorched her outfit as well as some of her hair, but she had no burns. The problem was the blood coming from her arm and painting everything around her red.

"My…arm…" Zelda gasped, leaning on her right side and holding her hurt left arm with her strong right one, "I fell at…the last bit…used my arm to…to stop my fall. It's broken…for sure."

"Better than your head," Captain Falcon said, kneeling beside the hurt princess, "Link, help me carry her inside the ship. We can fix her up in there."

"I'm so sorry, Zelda. This is my fault. I should have protected you," Link said gloomily as the two Smashers carefully lifted the princess off the ground.

"Don't be stupid, Link…" Zelda winced as she was moved but didn't make a sound, "You did your best…just like always. I…did this myself. D…don't be upset. I'll be alright."

"Her bone's broken through the skin, but this isn't life threatening. She's gonna be alright, Link," Samus said, giving Link a pat on the back.

"Depends on what happens after I tell her father why this occurred," Link muttered as they carried Zelda inside.

XXXXXXXXX

Pit, Kitty and Star had entered a small room, three meters high and five meters wide. The floor, walls and ceiling were all made of blue crystal, glowing much softer than the carving outside. The soft light made the only object in the room shine: a white stone pedestal with a small diamond bowl top, holding crystal clear water.

"What is this place?" Pit asked, looking around the small room.

So many questions from such a young mind, all of which would someday be answered. "Knowledge," Star replied, stepping towards the pedestal.

"What?"

"The water in this bowl gives the drinker knowledge." Star looked back at Pit and saw Kitty sitting beside him. Both had cocked their heads to the side; one in confusion and the other in imitation. Star smiled to herself and continued, "It is for you."

"For me?"

"Yes."

"But why?"

"Because it is."

"That's the worst explanation I have ever heard. How do I know you're not trying to trick me?" Pit crossed his arms and glared back at Star, refusing to come any closer.

"Why would I trick you, little one?"

"Well jeez, already once I've drunk something that me feel funny and led to me getting molested. For all I know this is the exact same set up."

Star could feel her anger bubbling underneath her skin; those that would hurt an innocent child for their own pride! If only she had -

She couldn't dwell on that now.

"I will step away from you, if that is what you wish. Just take a drink from the water, little one. You will see beyond your eyes."

The young angel looked a bit nervous, glancing at the water, at Kitty, and then back at her. Finally Pit sighed, "I suppose if you wanted me, I couldn't really stop you. After all, you eliminated those minions with a light-type attack…I don't know what else you can do."

"Perhaps a lot, perhaps nothing at all," Star said, stepping towards the corner of the room.

"You can do a lot more. I know." Pit walked towards the pedestal and saw a small diamond cup floating on the surface of the water. Beyond caring on how that was possible at the moment, Pit filled the cup half full of water and tipped the liquid into his mouth. "Goddess!" Pit gasped, dropping the cup back into the water. The water that he had just swallowed was absolutely incredible…it was so fresh, so sweet…he couldn't even begin to describe this water in any possible way that would make sense.

"That wasn't hard now, was it?" Star had stepped beside Pit while the young angel was still in shock from the water, "Now try and read this."

Pit took a small piece of cream-coloured paper from Star's hand and frowned. Copper-coloured writing was on the page, in the exact same language he had seen at the temple in the Smasher's World. Only now…he could read more.

"This is all I can see, 'Your…has come. Your…will be…do not be…you were…do this.'"

"That is good, little one. More time and you'll understand."

"Understand what? If you know so much, why don't you just tell me?"

Star shook her head, "Too dangerous. If they find you, they'll kill you."

"Wha - wait a second! Who are you, and what do you want with me? What's after me? What in the name of the sacred Goddess is going on here?"

Poor child must be confused and frightened. Star didn't blame him - he was young and needed more time and training for this to all sink in. She needed to buy him time. "That doesn't matter now. All that matters is that you know I am your friend, little one, and that you know this place. You will know when to come back here, and when you do, come alone, and tell no one of this place. Is that understood?"

Pit looked at Star with wide blue eyes, "Uh…o-okay…" He was really getting scared. Time to go.

"Come now, little one. I have one other place to take you." With that, Pit was scooped back into Star's arms and all three occupants in the room departed.

XXXXXXXXX

The Smashers had created a cast for Zelda's arm, but even with the strong pain she refused to be left behind and followed the other heroes into the city. They had left the _Falcon Flyer_ behind, as the ship had received quite a bit of damage and Captain Falcon wanted to save the remaining fuel for the trip home. The demons had mostly been destroyed and the army was finishing off the bits that remained. Which meant now was a good time to grab Pit.

They had first gone to the hospital where Samus had first seen Pit, but after Samus climbed up the side of the building to Pit's room she was alarmed to see the young angel was no longer there.

"He could have been taken home today," Captain Falcon said after Samus came back down.

"No way," Samus replied, shaking her head, "That was a bad accident. He should still be there."

"What if he was attacked? What if he's dying out there somewhere?" Link looked around, eyes showing quite a bit of worry.

"You're just freaking out because I got hurt. I'm sure Pit's fine," Zelda countered, "The place could have been evacuated. Let's look around and find out where the other patients went."

"Fair enough," Samus agreed, and the group moved on.

XXXXXXXXX

"This is the last spot for now," the woman said, placing Pit on the ground again. Pit had been carried for quite some distance, but again it only took a fraction of the time it really should have. Whoever this woman was, she must have some interesting abilities. The young angel looked around, but they were simply in a garden. The bushes and trees were without leaves of course, making the place seem lifeless and dull.

"Right here," the woman said, and Pit followed her pointing finger. She was pointing at a small statue in the garden of a rearing unicorn with wings, done in white marble.

"Okay, it's a unicorn. So?" Pit wasn't that impressed.

"When the time comes - and you'll know when - this is where you'll find it. Alright?"

"Sure thing." Pit stepped closer to the statue to take a better look. He wasn't worried about getting back here. It wasn't that hard to get to this spot if you knew where to go. After all, it was a public garden, made for people to come in and enjoy the flowers and works of art. All you needed was a lift and a few bucks to get in.

"That is all for now," the woman sighed, looking over her shoulder, "I suppose that you must be excited to go."

"Excited to go where?" Pit looked up from his observation, having seen nothing interesting only to discover that the woman and Kitty had vanished.

"What a weird night…" Pit mumbled to himself, just as he noticed his hand begin to glow. Once again, his wonderful bow was disappearing. At least right now he wasn't in any danger, so Pit wasn't too upset when the scared bow vanished in a ball of light. "Now what?" Pit wondered out loud. He was in the middle of a garden with no resources, his step family had no idea where he was, he was in pain, and -

Wait a second. _His step family had no clue where he was!_ For all they knew, he could have died in the onslaught of demons. He had time to get somewhere safe - perhaps to Palutena or the Base. This actually may be a stroke of luck! Of course he was only wearing a short hospital tunic and a bunch of gauze with no shoes, but it couldn't be too far to a safe place.

Pit was thinking for a few minutes, and then he heard voices - three he recognized, one he didn't. The sounds of those voices were sweeter than ice cream on a hot day. Without caring about his injured body Pit took off running towards the street calling out, "Captain Falcon! Samus! Link!"

XXXXXXXXX

"Hold up! I heard something!" Samus said, looking around. The four heroes were heading over towards Pit's house, guided by Link. They had found where many of the patients and nurses from the hospital had fled, but Pit was not with them. It was very quiet in this section of town, with only the occasional gust of wind bringing movement to the streets.

"We still have a ways to go to Pit's place. Are you sure you don't want to return to the ship Zelda?" Link asked the princess, who was rubbing her sore shoulder.

"I'm still alright, Link." Zelda watched fog leave the boys' mouths, as hers and Samus' were covered. It was cold out here, and from what she had heard she couldn't help but think what would happen if Pit was left outside in his condition.

"Listen! There it is again!" Samus turned to the right and pointed, "From that garden."

A voice came from beyond the brick wall that guarded many leafless trees, "Falcon! Samus! Link!"

"Pit, is that you?" Link called back, barely keeping himself from hoping.

A whoosh of air was the response as a young angel covered in bandages used his wings to propel himself to the top of the wall. Showing no regards for his condition the young angel dropped to the ground on the other side, falling on his knees due to his injured legs.

"Pit!" the three Smashers shouted in unison. Pit struggled to stand up again as Captain Falcon rushed over and scooped the young angel into his arms. "What are you doing out here?" The male bounty hunter asked as the other three heroes rushed over to them.

"Long story," Pit whispered, adrenaline leaving his veins and leaving his body vulnerable, "What are you guys doing here?"

"We came to pick you up. You're going to live with Link and myself in Hyrule until the next tournament starts," Zelda explained while the young angel studied her.

"Um…who are you?" Pit asked.

"Oh! Pit, this is Zelda, the Princess of Hyrule. She's a good friend of mine and currently in disguise," Link explained while gesturing to her.

"Call me Sheik," Zelda joked through her pain.

"Now we have two fighters who are hurt. Let's get back to the _Falcon Flyer_ pronto and leave this place," Samus said, sprinting off with the others following close behind.

XXXXXXXXX

Emily frowned as she was led to the strange spaceship. It was definitely not from this planet, and the centurion was quite sure she knew where it came from. That was something she was not happy about.

"What would you like us to do, ma'am?" one of the soldiers asked her.

Immediately Emily replied, "Stand guard. Do not let the owner of this ship leave this planet. They have illegally entered our world and will be punished."

"But ma'am, they destroyed that horrible dragon…don't they deserve to leave unhindered?" a different soldier, this one female, asked.

"By that logic, we should let child molesters go simply because they help out at a soup kitchen. Cry me a river and obey my orders!" Emily snapped. Both soldiers then left her side thinking about what a much better general Lucian was.

Emily sighed and looked back at the ship. She had seen the battle between those inside the ship and the dragon. She was grateful that they had brought it down, but not enough as to give up her ultimate goal.

"_They may have taken down that dragon, but they will not get Pit as a reward!"_ Emily thought to herself as she waited for those infuriating Smashers to return.

XXXXXXXXX

"What's going on?" Link asked as the group rounded a corner to see the _Falcon Flyer_ surrounded by soldiers.

"Do they think we're some sort of threat?" Zelda pondered.

"Doubt it. They probably just don't know why we're here. Let's tell them and get out," Samus replied, walking towards the soldiers with the others close behind.

Once the group was just a few feet away, a voice called out, "Is this your ship?" Pit's ears perked as he recognized that voice.

Captain Falcon replied, "Yes, it's mine. Sorry about the bad parking job, but we're leaving now, so if you just let us by -"

"That will not happen." Emily stepped out of the group of soldiers towards the five heroes, "You are all under arrest!"

"What? Why?"

"For illegally entering our borders without permits or permission. And what are you all up to, kidnapping a child?" Emily grinned triumphantly; she had caught the fighters in a legitimate law break and would be able to take Pit away.

"Pit wants to come with us," Samus countered.

"Stockholm syndrome, or fear. Put the child down now and your hands in the air - otherwise we will be forced to take you all down," Emily motioned for the soldiers to ready themselves, and the five heroes noticed that they were holding spray cans or tasers. This wasn't going to be pleasant for anyone except Samus, whose suit protected her from such attacks.

"Let us go! We don't mean any harm!" Zelda called to Emily as the soldiers began to surround the fighters.

"Let the child go! You have no right to take him from his home!" Emily countered.

"We have permission to take him from here! Ask his family if you don't believe us!"

"A likely story."

"We're all _Super Smash Brothers_ tournament fighters! We're all heroes! Do you honestly think we'd do something horrible?" Link said while the soldiers moved in.

"Those who have power are too likely to do horrible things," Emily said while grinning at the terrified Pit, "After all, nothing corrupts like power does. It can make even the nicest heroes go bad - and that's a chance I will not take."

"We won't go down without a fight," Samus challenged.

"Go right ahead. You won't win."

XXXXXXXXX

_**A few hours later…**_

"Wow, that was a real fuckup," Captain Falcon sighed. He was currently sitting next to Link in a prison cell, the two chained together at the wrist. All of their weapons and items had been taken away, as well as their armor.

"There was just nothing we could do," Link replied in a sad voice. They had fought back at the start, with Pit huddled in the center. Zelda had used magic to protect the group while the other three used their skills to knock the soldiers aside without truly harming them. The soldiers weren't sure what to do next, and it looked like they were going to make it. But then Emily had stepped in, and with what Zelda later described as true evil magic, cast a spell that countered Zelda's protective abilities. Due to her arm she was slower in casting than normal and was unable to stop Emily from knocking the whole group out. The next time they woke up, they were chained together and Pit was nowhere in sight.

"Black magic. I can't believe that a follower of a light goddess would use black magic!" Link pounded the concrete bench he was sitting on with his free fist in frustration, "I should have used my sword, and to hell with protecting those blasted soldiers!"

"If you killed one of them Link, you would have been charged with murder. Technically we did break their laws, and we did resist arrest. They did their jobs and were in the right, even if I hate to think about it."

"She wouldn't even listen, fucking armored bitch," Link growled, "If they do anything to my equipment I'll make sure to have that centurion's head on a pike by the end of the week!" He slammed the concrete with his fist again.

"Oh shut up in there!" some soldier called from out of sight, "The only pointy thing you'll be getting is a dick up your ass when you become the prison bitch."

"Hey fuck you, asshole! You come over here and I'll show you who the real fucking bitch is!" Link shouted back with a good amount of malice in his voice.

The racer was about to scold Link for having such an uncontrolled outburst, but stopped himself when he remembered that Link technically was still a child. After all, Link was only sixteen and not quite a full grown adult. He should still be allowed a few outbursts like this. "Calm down Link. I'm not any happier about this than you, but getting frustrated will only make our situation worse. Besides, everyone knows that in prison you'd be the one with all of the bitches."

Link managed a small smile, "Thanks, Falcon." He went back to staring at the floor and thinking. "I wonder what's going to happen to Pit now?"

"Well, if all goes well he'll be cleared to leave with us once Zelda gets bail money from her father. I just hope his Royal Highness won't get too upset with us for this…"

The Hero of Time winced at the thought, "I hope so too. Because if anyone is going to be punished for this, it's gonna be me."

XXXXXXXXX

Pit had been forced to wait alone in the army garrison's medical center for an hour. Emily had never come to talk to him, so Pit assumed she already understood his intentions and felt no need to beat up on him again. Besides, being in the army and attacking a little kid wasn't very good for one's image.

The door finally clicked open and Pit looked up to see a male lower-level soldier there. "The ambulance is here to transfer you to another hospital."

"What about my friends?" Pit asked, "I was supposed to go with them."

The soldier shook his head, "Sorry kid, but there's a lot of stuff going on with those four. Besides, your wounds need to be looked after. Perhaps later you'll see them, but right now you need care."

At least he wouldn't have to see Emily. Pit sighed but let himself be placed on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance. As the vehicle began to move, Pit crossed his fingers that he would see the Smashers again soon.

XXXXXXXXX

_**Later that morning…**_

"Merry prison Christmas," Samus joked to Zelda as both fighters woke up after a long night. Samus was without her power suit and weapons; she was just in the jumpsuit she wore underneath. Zelda was made to take off the cloth covering her head and hand over her weapons, but other than that they had left her alone - probably due to the broken arm.

"Merry painful Christmas to you. My arm's killing me," Zelda winced and rubbed her cast.

"I thought the army here fixed it up nicely for you."

"They did, but it's still sore. I guess casting magic with your hands and broken arms don't mix well together." Zelda continued to rub her arm until Samus came behind her and began massaging her shoulders. "Ah, that's better."

"Think we'll spend the day in here?" Samus asked as she continued to knead Zelda's shoulders.

"No, you won't." The two girls looked up to see a female soldier standing at the door, "Bail money has arrived and the four of you are free to go home."

"Four? What about Pit?" Zelda asked.

"Who?"

"The kid."

"He's been taken to another hospital for treatment. I believe once it's been confirmed that you can take him off this planet you'll be allowed back with no charges. Until then, you're all being deported and will leave at once."

"But…"

"You male accomplices are already leaving. Let's go." The female soldier unlocked the door, and the two girls followed her out.

"Man, we spend the night here and we don't even get breakfast! How rude!" Samus said sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "It's Christmas for goodness' sakes!"

"Yes, and I gave the wonderful present of criminal daughter to my father. Some princess I turned out to be," Zelda sighed.

"You're one of the best, girl. Keep up that spirit in the tournament and you'll do just fine."

"Thanks Samus," Zelda smiled as they were placed into another car to be driven back to the ship.

"Your equipment is in the trunk," the driver said to the girls just before starting the car, "And nothing's been tampered with."

"Oh of course; I can tell from this planet's hospitality that you left our stuff alone for sure," Samus replied, rolling her eyes again. Zelda let out a small laugh as the car began to head back towards the _Falcon Flyer_.

XXXXXXXXX

Pit sighed and looked out the window at the bright blue sky. It was a gorgeous Christmas Day, but Pit had no heart for such things today. The Smashers had come all this way for him, only to get arrested in the process. Now he was trapped here with no escape route. Fighting outside in the cold in his condition left his body weak and exhausted. Even if he had his sacred bow again he was too tired to use it well. He was better off waiting for his body to heal before attempting another escape.

"_That is…if Tavor ever lets my body heal…" _Pit sighed to himself before drifting off to sleep.

XXXXXXXXX

"Of all the idiotic, crazy, hare-brained things to do on Christmas Eve, you do this? Leave in the middle of the celebration! Get arrested! Put my own daughter's life in danger - and have her injured to boot!" The king of Hyrule slammed his hands on a wooden table, causing the Hero of Time to slightly jump in surprise, "You have saved this land a couple of times before, Link! Yet you let this happen to my daughter!"

"_It's only a broken arm. It'll heal just fine. Yeesh, the way he's carrying on you'd think he's the one with the busted limb, not Zelda."_ Link was thinking to himself, trying to keep calm as the king paced back and forth in the throne room, scolding and yelling at Link for the trouble the hero had caused.

The captain of the castle guards stood silently by the door, preventing the session from being interrupted by any servants. At least the guests were all distracted with the festivities in the town and weren't present to see the king's rage or Zelda's condition. After receiving the call late last night for bail money, the king had been holding onto his anger until the two heroes had returned home. Zelda had immediately been taken to see a nurse, while Link had only a short break to drop off his equipment and eat something before being brought in here to be yelled at.

The king continued his rant, unknowing that the Hero of Time wasn't taking him too seriously, "I let you into my household and gave you so many privileges for all you've done!"

"_And I have saved Hyrule at least four separate times without any thought of a reward, and if the need arises I will do so again. It was your choice to give this to me…then again, the people would have been furious if you didn't do something," _Link thought as a response.

"I have given everything you needed to survive, as well as for your horse!"

"_He's acting as if I'm not grateful; or if everything I've done before was for a reward. This was an accident, and I really do feel bad that Zelda was hurt. But this won't ruin her!"_

"I let you and Zelda be friends and be alone together. Don't you understand what that means, Link? A young male alone with the virgin princess?"

"_Way too much information there, kingy."_

"The kind of talk such a thing would produce if that male didn't happen to be you! Unless…" the king stopped pacing and stomped down the short stone steps to stand in front of Link and look him straight in the eye, "You haven't tried to have your way with my Zelda, have you?"

"NO!" Link shouted with perhaps a bit too much force as he jumped back in surprise, "Zelda and I are just friends and nothing more. I have never forced a maiden to do something like that, and I never will! Why would you even think of such a thing?"

"Well, considering I never guessed that the hero of these lands would drag my daughter into danger and get arrested as well, who knows what else you've been up to!" The furious king stepped closer to Link; with his crown on he seemed quite a bit taller than the Hero of Time. "Haven't been hanging around other virgin ladies all alone, have you, Link?"

"No! Heck, _I'm_ still a virgin! Alright? I've said it! I haven't done anything with anybody."

"Go to the pubs, then?"

"I'm too young to be allowed in those places, and I've never tried to enter."

"Get into fights?"

"With wild creatures from the forest trying to attack the people? All the time."

The king threw his arms up in the air and turned his back to Link. He walked back up the stone steps to his throne and shouted, "What is up with you? Why would you do such a thing on Christmas Eve? And to place my precious daughter in danger…you should know better!"

"I do know better, alright? Zelda wanted to come. She came of her own free will. And she doesn't blame me for her broken arm."

"WHAT?" The king roared with rage and turned to face Link again, "How dare you tell lies about my daughter! She is royalty, a princess - she should never fight!"

"She knows how to fight better than a lot of your soldiers. She enjoys the thrill of battle, the same as I do. Zelda came because she wanted to see some action, and she knew the risks." Link bowed his head and continued, "Believe me your Highness; I wouldn't have let her come along if I didn't truly believe there would be no trouble. I am sorry that Zelda was hurt and I know I could have done a better job of protecting her…but really, she needs to grow too. And she's okay; she's handling her injuries like a true warrior. I'm really sorry that I scared you, and I understand that you're mad, but now try to understand me. Zelda needs freedom as well, and if she likes to fight, then why can't she?"

There was quiet for about a minute, and then the king snorted, "Lies."

"It's true, your Highness!" Link said, looking up again at the furious king, "Just ask Zelda yourself!"

"A princess needs her rest; she needs to be beautiful, graceful and kind. Her guards must protect her and allow her to tend to her duties. You, however, have failed in that task. I trusted her into your watch and you let her get hurt. I don't care that you're the Hero of Time - I will punish you in the same way I punish those guards who are incompetent in their duties!"

"You can't be serious," Link said in disbelief, "I wasn't incompetent; I did the best I could, and -"

"Silence! I have heard enough from you. Captain!" This last was directed towards the man standing beside the door, "Go fetch your men and return here immediately." With a nod, the captain departed.

"Look, if you honestly think I'm such a bad protector, then why not just throw me out of the castle and force me away?" Link asked the king as he continued to glare at the hero in anger.

"Because Zelda likes you too much. She'd have a fit if I did such a thing - not to mention the people of Hyrule. Especially your female fans."

"Then that must mean I'm doing something right, doesn't it?"

"You're just handsome and make the ladies swoon. You don't have the discipline or are of the correct age to be a true warrior."

"Oh please! I'm more than that!" Link was sure he was digging his own grave here, but he was getting so frustrated he honestly no longer cared, "I've done a lot better than your entire army before and will do so again if needed. I carry the Triforce of Courage - and I've earned that right!"

"You're just a spoiled child that needs to be disciplined!" The king shouted, face turning red with fury.

"The way you're acting, it seems that you are too!" Link snapped back.

The king was about to respond when the door opened and five men walked in along with the captain of the guards. "Captain!" The king barked, "Take this child below and punish him. I want him stripped, bound and beaten all along his back, legs and rump. Especially his rump."

"Say what?" Link shouted, "What gives you any right to do this?"

"The fact that I am king and you are responsible for injuring my daughter! Take him!" With that, the king sat back down on his throne and watched as the six men took control of Link. The hero was strong, but without weapons and with the previous rough night he was no match for six strong men. Link soon had his hands tied behind his back and was being forced along towards his unfair punishment.

"This is crazy! I've done nothing wrong!" Link said while twisting his arms, trying to free himself from the grips of the soldiers on either side of him.

"Sorry, Link. I agree with you, and I don't like the idea of punishing you, but…it's the king's orders. If I don't do this, then the six of us will be beaten alongside you, or fired." The captain sighed and led the small party down the stairs into the small dungeon beneath the castle, "The least I can do for you is beat you without breaking your skin. That way the pain is only temporary."

"I suppose that's better than the alternative…" Link muttered, looking around the dimly lit room. The hero thought it ridiculous that the castle would still use this room, but then again…it was only for beatings, not mutilation or any other form of cruel torture. That was a huge improvement compared to a lot of places.

The guards were already removing his clothing, nervous due to the fact this was no wrongdoer, but a true hero. Link growled under his breath, but didn't struggle. The captain was right - if he kept resisting, that would only make things worse for others around him. The king wouldn't do anything horrendous to him; he was too valuable to discard. These guards, on the other hand, wouldn't be too difficult to replace, save for the captain. If they failed it could mean disaster for not only themselves, but for their families who relied on their wages. Link was no spoiled brat; he could handle this. After all, Pit had to have been beaten many times, and still carried on as best he could. Suddenly, a thought came to Link.

"The king just wants you to beat me to show that he has control over me, doesn't he?" Link said to the captain and the other guards finished removing his clothing, leaving his hands untied.

The captain shrugged in response, "I suppose so. Wants to humiliate you since you got under his skin."

Link dwelled on that thought as he was led to a heavy wooden table with two metal cuffs attached to the top. "_Is Tavor really violent and punishing Pit for simple things for fun? Is the guy frustrated and taking out his anger on Pit? Does he want control over Pit - no, come on, it's easy enough to control a pre-teen; they're too young to be much of a threat. Perhaps…perhaps Tavor is _afraid_ of Pit? That could explain why he hurts Pit; why he wants control…but why would he be afraid?"_

There was no more time left for Link to sort things out. His hands were cuffed to the top of the table, and his back was stretched across the smooth wood. His legs were pulled apart and tied to separate table legs, leaving himself vulnerable and exposed. Link absolutely hated it.

"_Well, if I got under the king's skin, he's now certainly getting his revenge. I do not like what this could lead to, if somebody in this room had any strange ideas about me…"_

"Are you ready, Link?" The captain asked. Link twisted his head slightly to see the captain holding a thick wooden stick, ready to strike with it.

Link sighed and replied, "Yeah, go ahead." If Pit could bear such things, he could too - especially since his wasn't as bad. Telling himself that would make it much easier to get rid of his self-pity and keep his remaining pride throughout this punishment.

"_Might as well focus on something else…like why Tavor would see any need to beat Pit. Punishment, anger, fun, control, fear? There has to be more to this than what I've seen…if only I knew how I could find out the truth."_


	15. The Start of Something New

**Author's Note: An update? After over a year? WHAT IS THIS SORCERY?!**

**I was cleaning up my desk and ended up finding the notes to my stories. So, time to get some stuff out of the way. You're welcome to skip this section.**

**Q: Are you going to finish **_**In A Shattered Sky**_**? **

**A: Yes, I hope to do so within the next 2 years.**

**Q: Are you going to finish **_**Return the Darkness**_**?**

**A: To be honest, I don't know. At the time of writing it I had a vague idea of where the story would go after the events of **_**Any Dark Deed**_**, but looking at it again I'm not sure if I can convey my ideas well enough to make the story worth reading. If I do decide to continue it, it will need a huge revamp, particularly with the character of Isis. Considering what her point in the plot is (it's big), so far she shows up way too often, which means rewriting much of the story. Will I ever do it? Maybe, if enough people are interested.**

**Q: Will there be a set update schedule?**

**A: No. I'm a university student now and studying takes up a lot of my time. I will do as much as I can when I can.**

**Q: The first two chapters of **_**In A Shattered Sky**_** have changed! What gives?**

**A: Rereading this old story has given me some new ideas on how I want it to go. While basic events and of course characters will not change, details have been switched up/added and things are being rewritten (also to fix some plot and spelling errors). This will take place alongside new updates. New chapters will be added in the middle of what has already been written, but the basic premise is the same.**

**Q: Will you ever write new fanfics?**

**A: I do have some new ideas. Since **_**The Hobbit**_** has come out I've reread both **_**The Hobbit**_** and LOTR, and now I'd love to write something on that. I have an idea for a LOTR/Pokémon cross-over, although I haven't decided if I will write it/ I don't have a real ending for it yet so it's probably not a good idea to get started on that. I would like to try some one-shots at some point, probably for Pokémon but I may do others as well.**

**Q: Will you reply to all reviews from now on?**

**A: Yes, unless they are not worth replying to (flamers).**

**In any case, on with the show! **

XXXXXXXXX

"I can't believe he did this to you! After all you've done for us, one minor screw-up and he beats you! He _beats_ you!" Zelda was pacing back and forth in Link's room, her hands clenched into fists in anger.

Link just sighed and laid his head back down on the pillow. He was lying on his stomach underneath the sheets on his bed, the red welts still visible and very sore all over his lower half. While he had been allowed to dress and leave after his punishment just a few hours before, the fabric rubbing against his skin made him ache to the point where he'd rather just lie down without any clothes for the rest of the day. He had been planning to sleep off the pain until Zelda had stormed in, furious at her father.

"I was the one who chose to come along, and in any case there was nothing you could have done to prevent my accident. I'm not badly hurt, and you said Master Hand will likely give my father the money he lost…this is far beyond overreacting!" Zelda sat in a wooden chair next to Link's bed, "It's so rare for him to order anyone to be beaten…but you! The Hero of Time!"

"I'm not immune to everything, Zelda," Link replied, shifting slightly to rest his arms behind his head, "It doesn't matter now. I received my punishment and that's the end of it."

"I should be the one being punished. Not you."

"You already have a broken arm. That's enough of a punishment."

"It's still no excuse for what he did," Zelda snapped and began pacing again, "I'm only a few months younger than you. I attend council meetings. I read reports. I am a diplomat to neighboring lands, but I cannot battle?"

"Your father won't let you fight in the next tournament?" Link asked in surprise, his blue eyes going wide.

Zelda sighed, "He's not pleased with me, that's for certain. I told him I was going no matter what, and since you'll be around I'll have plenty of protection."

Link winced, "I don't think the king believes I'm doing a very good job right now."

"He'll come around. I know he will." Zelda looked at Link when he let out a yawn, "Do you want to rest?"

"No, no, I'm willing to listen to you. Keep going."

"You're tired. You've been through a lot recently. I'll let you get some sleep." Zelda turned to leave the room, but a sudden thought made her turn around. "Link," Zelda said softly, the anger now gone from her voice, "What will happen to Pit now?"

Link was quiet for a minute, deep in thought, before he replied, "I don't know, Zelda. But all I can say for certain is that things don't look good for him."

XXXXXXXXX

_Weeks later…_

Bent wings. Cracked ribs. Twisted ankle. Broken angel.

Pit was lying on the mattress in the attic again, chained to the wall by an iron collar around his neck. His wings lay limply at his sides, the golden sparkles shining dimly in the starlight from above. His skinny chest rose rapidly against the bandages wrapped around him, each breath sending a wave of pain throughout his body. Pit could do nothing but stare up at the stars through the skylight and listen to the countdown on the television below.

"Three…two…one…happy New Year!" the announcer shouted as horns squawked and fireworks exploded in the background.

"And a happy birthday to me," Pit whispered quietly, thinking about what it meant to be twelve. One year down, six more to go – that's what it meant. He couldn't bear the thought.

He had Lance, and…that's it. That's all he had to be thankful for. That one thing was like a candle in the darkness, a speck of hope in despair. The Smashers couldn't be counted on – Master Hand had said he would be invited to the next tournament, and clearly he had lied.

Or more likely, Emily did something to prevent him from fleeing.

Pit just didn't understand. If money wasn't the issue, and if the bow was the whole point of keeping him…why talk as if it was a_ family_ treasure rather than just something he could summon? What were these riches his relatives spoke of? Were they simple material goods, or perhaps something _more_?

The young angel just sighed and closed his eyes, a few tears slipping down his cheeks. The future in front of him seemed to be nothing but darkness into eternity. _"Oh Lance…I could really use you now. You are there for me when nobody else is."_

XXXXXXXXX

Master Hand leaned against his desk in defeat. He had been trying for weeks to contact Pit or anyone in his household, but had not contacted anybody. He had delayed the cut-off date as long as he could, but had no choice now – it was time to close sign-ups. With fans and companies eagerly awaiting the _Super Smash Brothers Melee_ tournament to begin, he couldn't put it off anymore. Pit just wouldn't able to compete this time around.

The right hand sighed and began to type. The introductions of the fighters for the universe would begin at the end of January and he needed to make sure that everyone's rooms were ready for the next tournament.

"Big brother! Where arrrrreeee yyooooouuuu?" Crazy Hand floated into the room and dropped something onto Master Hand's desk, "Look what I found!"

The other hand looked at the object. It was a small, gray and white kitten. "Where did you find that?" Master Hand asked.

"Outside. Can we keep it? Plllleeeeasseee?"

"Your cat, your job," Master Hand shrugged, knowing it was pointless to argue with his twin.

"Hooray! I shall name you…Tybalt!" Crazy Hand scooped up the kitten and was about to leave when a new thought entered his busy brain, "Hey bro…something wrong?"

Master Hand sighed, "It's nothing, brother. I'm just disappointed that some fighters couldn't make it into the tournament. That's all."

"Ah," Crazy Hand's fingers wiggled with understanding, "You're doing a great job here, though. Don't feel down. Just because someone can't stay doesn't mean they can't visit. Keep your wrist up!"

"Thank you, brother. Have you checked on the food supplies?"

"Check and double check! Let's make waffles, Tybalt! I'm so excited for this tournament! WEEEEEEE!" And like that, Crazy Hand was gone.

Master Hand's thumb twitched slightly before he returned to his computer. He couldn't help but think about the little talented angel that had been at the Base only a few months ago. Why hadn't Pit responded? Was something really wrong with his home?

"Maybe I could check up on him sometime…but first, these need to be finished…"

XXXXXXXXX

_Three days later…_

Lance gripped Pit's upper arm with one hand and carried the younger angel's backpack with the other. The other kids around them were calling out to each other after the long winter break. Lance was simply trying to keep Pit from fainting. The younger angel wheezed with every breath up the stairs, his ribs paining him with every step. Long green sleeves covered the damage done to the young angel, although his pale face hinted at his true exhaustion.

Finally the two managed to make it to their new homeroom for the semester. Currently there was nobody else in it, so the two boys were able to get desks right beside each other and talk without being overheard.

Pit gave Lance a short version of the story of his break, and all Lance could do was shake his head and sigh, "Oh Pit…how long are you to take this? You won't survive at this rate. Forget the money and get out."

"It's not money, Lance. It's something else. I think it's the bow they want – something that only I can gain. Whether or not I lose it if I leave…I cannot take that risk. It's too important to lose," Pit replied.

"Too _important_?! A bow?! Pit, I know you like archery but this is too much. You will die there, and then what?"

"You don't understand. I mean, I barely do. But this is important – something big. I need to stay. I need that bow. Trust me, Lance. Please."

Lance glared at the younger angel, mouth opening and closing as he struggled to find the correct words. Finally he slumped in his seat in defeat, and his wings fluttered with held-in anger, "Fine, but only because I'm your friend. Anyone else would get you out of there now, but I guess I'm too stupid to do anything useful."

"It will make sense in the end, Lance. You'll see."

XXXXXXXXX

Late that night Pit was scrubbing the floors in the kitchen when he heard a scrambling noise from outside. He tried to ignore it, but after the scratching went on for two minutes without any sign of letting up he quickly glanced over his shoulder to see where his relatives were. With no one in sight, he approached the glass sliding door.

The soft snow outside sparkled in the cold, unbroken in the rarely used backyard. The noise continued, an insistent sound that seemed to be right out of his vision. Pit opened the backdoor and looked outside, shuddering at the sudden blast of cold air, and his eyes went wide with surprise.

There, not four feet away, was a phoenix!

It was small, only about as big as a hawk, but shining brilliantly against the dark night. Red, orange and yellow flames danced along its smooth body, and its eyes were like shining rubies within the fire. One of its claws was clutched around a small object while the other was scratching against the wall of the house. It flapped its wings to hover in the air and make the sound, but turned when it heard the door open.

Pit could only stare at the incredible sight before him as the phoenix came closer. It hovered in front of him and reached out with one claw, the one that held the object.

"For me?" Pit asked, holding out a hand. The phoenix dropped the object into his palm before turning and flying off into the night.

"Oh! Goodbye, then," Pit said a little sadly before shutting the glass door. Puzzled, he looked down at his palm and studied the little brown bag now in his hand.

"What are you doing?" a harsh voice commanded, and Pit quickly stuffed the bag into his pocket.

"Nothing," Pit whimpered, hurrying back to the mop. Tavor's hand caught him across the face before he could start working again.

"See that you don't continue to do nothing," Tavor snarled at the young angel huddling on the ground. As soon as he stomped off, Pit grabbed the mop and continued to work.

It was well past midnight when he was finally able to trudge up the stairs and get some sleep. As he huddled underneath the blankets in an attempt to get warm, he suddenly remembered the little bag. In the dark Pit scrounged around the floor and located his clothing. He felt in his pocket and retrieved the bag before scuttling back across the drafty floor to the mattress to get a better look.

In the thin starlight the bag looked normal enough. Something small and heavy rested inside. Pit pulled back on the drawstrings to open the bag and then tipped whatever was inside into his hand. A clear glass stone around two inches long rested on his palm. A golden arrow with a silver edge was carved into the stone. Pit turned the stone around and looked at it from multiple angles, but nothing looked out of the ordinary.

"Weird," Pit muttered before stuffing the stone underneath his pillow and going to sleep.

XXXXXXXXX

January 31st marked a special day for the universe, for it was the day the _Super Smash Brothers Melee_ tournament would finally begin. Falco looked out his window at the growing crowd of news reporters outside the base.

"Nervous?" asked a voice from behind. Falco turned to see his captain and friend approaching.

"…Maybe just a little…" Falco admitted, which Fox understood to mean 'A lot'.

"Hey, it's cool. No pressure at all. Just smile and do your best. That's why I did and everything turned out fine," Fox said, slapping his friend on the back.

"I mean, jeez lawez, look at the crowd!" Falco pressed his beak against the glass, "Is it always this busy?"

"Nope. Just today. Stand out there, say your name and where you're from, and leave. Easy enough. It's not as bad as you think, honest."

"If you say so Foxy," Falco replied, stepping back from the window, "Ready?"

"My whole life," Fox said, leading the way outside.

X

A temporary stage had been set up in the front yard in front of the Base. It had two levels: a small one in front for the hands to stay and introduce the fighters, while the higher, larger stage was for the Smashers to smile and wave after they had been introduced. The curtain behind the larger stage was decorated with the brand new logo of the tournament, with red and black letters outlined with white on a black background.

The Smashers waited behind the curtain for Master Hand to give his speech and eventually introduce them. The original fighters were relaxed, while the new ones were a little tense.

"I did not think there would be so many…" Pichu whispered, her small eyes doubling in size.

Jigglypuff patted the smaller Pokémon on the head, "Don't you worry. Everything is going to be alright."

"…And without further delay, here are the new Smashers for Super Smash Brothers Melee!" Master Hand finished. Cameras began to flash and microphones pushed closer to catch every second of this event.

Mario was the first one up, "It's-a me, Mario! I'm-a from the Mushroom Kingdom, and I'm-a hap-py to be here!" With a quick bow to the audience he took his place on the far left of the back.

Luigi followed his twin right after, "I'm-a Luigi, I'm-a Mario's brother and also from the Mushroom Kingdom. This tourn-a-ment is gonna be great!" Luigi went to stand beside his brother.

One by one the older Smashers introduced themselves. The new ones became a little calmer after seeing how the older fighters handled the crowd, but it was still a little intimidating.

After Ness had taken his place beside Jigglypuff, Princess Peach walked onstage and introduced herself with no issue. After all, she was the ruler of a kingdom and had done this many times before. Bowser and Ganondorf had no issues either, although Link kept his eyes on the Gerudo the entire time. He had no idea what Master Hand was thinking, inviting that monster here! Although he did not seem quite as evil as before, Link was taking no chances.

Fox smirked slightly when Falco introduced himself without a hitch, and the two Ice Climbers came out together to stay calm. Zelda conducted herself perfectly, but when it came time for Pichu's turn the little yellow Pokémon froze in fright.

"I…can't…I just can't!" Pichu whispered, rubbing her eyelids.

"It's fine. Go on!" Roy whispered back, nudging the electric type forward slightly.

"No way! Too many people and I'm too weak! I just can't do this!"

"You can. Just don't think about the crowd and go ahead. We're all behind you," Marth whispered, his English greatly improved.

"Don't be afraid," Mewtwo said softly.

"Okay…okay…deep breaths…" Pichu held her head up and walked onstage. A single glance back at three new Smashers smiling at her gave her courage. "My name is Pichu, I hail from New Bark Town in the Johto region, and I'm here to do my best!" Pictures taken and words captured on film, the electric type quickly took her place beside Zelda on the back stage.

"Good work," Zelda said under her breath as the final Smashers introduced themselves.

"Just needed a little support," Pichu whispered back as Mewtwo came to stand beside her.

After Roy was finished, Master Hand began to speak again, "On behalf of everyone here, I now declare the _Super Smash Brothers Melee_ tournament on! Time to battle!"

Thunderous applause rose from the crowd gathered and enthusiastically copied by the Smashers present. The older ones, however, couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment at the lack of one angel in the roster.

X

Boris had the television turned up so loud that Pit could clearly hear all of the details of the new tournament. A sick feeling rose up in the young angel's stomach at the thought that he had been left behind. Tears built up behind his eyes as he put the dishes away, afraid that he'd never see any of the Smashers any time soon.

As he shut the cupboard door, Pit felt something odd. It was like a rock had suddenly taken residence just inside his skull and was placing slight pressure onto his consciousness. It was not an unpleasant feeling, just a demanding one. Pit closed his eyes and rubbed his temples as suddenly a new thought came to him.

"_It's time."_

Pit looked up in surprise, looking around to see if the voice was real. The television was still playing in the background, and Tavor and Kara were both out of the house. It was a perfect time to go and respond to the call.

Quickly Pit raced upstairs to grab the stone the phoenix had given him weeks before. Up until now he had no use for it, but now he understood its purpose. After pulling on a jacket and mittens, the healed angel unlocked the back door and flew onto the back fence without touching the snow. Within minutes he was well on his way back to the garden from December, and the marking on the wall.

**That's enough for now. Best wishes, everyone!**


End file.
